Three Killed In Fresh Plateau Attack, Governor Jang Seeks State Police

The PUNCH reports on Saturday that gunmen were said to have again killed three youths in a fresh attack which occurred in  Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

This is just as a former governor of the state, Jonah Jang,  condemned what he described as the continued attacks and killing of innocent citizens in Plateau communities by gunmen.

This was just as he called on the Presidency and the National assembly to consider the establishment of state police as part of efforts to flush out insecurity in the state.

Amid Jang’s condemnation following the invasion of 25 communities in Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu communities by gunmen which left over 150 persons dead on Christmas Eve, the gunmen have again killed three youths in a fresh attack.

It was learnt that the three youths had gone to pick up their relatives who earlier escaped to Bokkos town during an earlier invasion of their community when some gunmen attacked them at Lut village, killing them on the spot on Friday evening.

The Chairman of Community Peace Observers in Bokkos LG, Kefas Mallai, confirmed the death of the three youths to The PUNCH in Jos on Saturday

Mallai said, “Three youths from Angwan Hausawa, Bokkos town: Lurwan Ismail (Ron Muslim), Muhammadu Tuka (Ron Muslim), and Mayo (Mwaghavul Christian), were killed yesterday( Friday) at Lut, one of the communities earlier attacked by assailants on Christmas eve.

“They went there to pick up their loved ones (Fulanis) who escaped to Bokkos town as IDPs when they were killed. Their bodies earlier seen are now missing.”

In a statement issued on Saturday, titled “Plateau killing: One too many and the need for state police”, Jang said the Federal Government must do everything possible to stop further attacks and killings in the state and other parts of the country

The statement signed by his Media consultant, Clinton Garuba, noted, “It is with a grieving heart that Senator Jonah David Jang wishes to commiserate with the families that lost loved ones during the Christmas Eve attack on communities in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local government areas of Plateau State.

“This dastardly act has once again tampered with the peace of our dear state as it was orchestrated by people who are hell-bent on ensuring that the ordinary Plateau man does not enjoy the serenity God through nature has bestowed on him.

“Choosing to murder harmless villagers in their homes as they prepared to celebrate the yuletide is the most horrendous wickedness that anyone could imagine. None of the hundreds of our people who lost their lives in the Christmas Eve attack by marauding terrorists envisaged that their lives would be cut short in such a gruesome manner.

“The killings on the plateau would seem to have gone on unabated as the non-arrest and prosecution of perpetrators have bolstered the serial killers to carry out more and more killings. Unfortunately, villagers in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Riyom and Mangu LGAs have continued to bear the brunt of terrorists who seem to have sworn to dispossess them of their heritage at all costs.

“That these killers are out on a cleansing agenda and plan to take over the lands of the people they try to wipe out is no longer hidden. As painful as these killings are, equally hard and painstaking efforts must be made to put an end to them to restore Plateau to its known peaceful atmosphere which made it home to many people, even in decades past.

“While we agree with the President that the culprits must be apprehended and made to face prosecution, we must note that these directives have been issued repeatedly. Yet, neither arrests nor prosecutions have been made in the past. It is therefore pertinent that at this point, there is the need to attend to the call for State police as part of measures for boosting security, ensuring early response in crises and confronting the challenges of insecurity headlong.

“A situation where state governors have no powers to immediately deploy personnel to quell attacks and confront marauding terrorists is worrisome. The killings are getting out of hand and the State Police option is viable for nipping these massacres in the bud. States should be given the power to create, train and equip their police to enable State Governors to deal with peculiar security situations in their various states. More than ever, the time to heed the call for state policing is now.”

Speaking further, while commending efforts of the federal and state governments in responding to the recent attacks, Jang called on the National Assembly to expedite action to forestall a reoccurrence of such wicked acts.

He added, “The National Assembly must take this call seriously and rise to the occasion, act in the interest of the Plateau People and consider the issue as a matter of urgent importance. While we commend the efforts of the Federal and Plateau State Governments in responding to the recent attacks, we reckon that more can be done to stop the seeming non-stop attacks and needless loss of the lives of innocent villagers who are murdered while in their sleep or as the struggle on their farms to eke a living for themselves.

“There is more that can be done, the endless killings are unacceptable, and our people must be allowed to stay in their homes, and continue to cultivate their farmlands without any intimidation or fear of unprovoked attacks which leave them homeless or decapitated.

“We join millions of Plateau people and our well-wishers in sending our heartfelt condolences to the families that have lost loved ones in the recent attacks. We are sore and grieved but consoled that the blood of the innocent will not go unavenged, if not here, in the hereafter.

“We call on the people to cooperate with the State Government which has shown commitment to ensuring the safety of Plateau citizens. The killings have assumed a dimension where inhumanity seems to have overtaken humanity but whatever the intentions and purposes of the terrorists, Plateau will survive, thrive and stand tall as the home of peace and tourism. May Plateau State succeed.”