Traditional and tribal leaders in Plateau have been given an ultimatum to produce the culprits of recent killings in the state. They were also told that they risk arrest if their domains continued to record attacks by unknown gunmen. Plateau state commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Olakpe stated said this at a joint stakeholder’s meeting with various tribes in Plateau North Senatorial zone.

The commissioner disagreed with the claims by the leaders that it was unknown gunmen who carried the attacks. He said that the police had resolved to arrest the leaders as accomplices because as custodians of the society, no crime will happen without their knowledge.

Traditional and tribal leaders in Plateau have been given an ultimatum to produce the culprits of recent killings in the state. They were also told that they risk arrest if their domains continued to record attacks by unknown gunmen. Plateau state commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Olakpe stated said this at a joint stakeholder’s meeting with various tribes in Plateau North Senatorial zone.

The commissioner disagreed with the claims by the leaders that it was unknown gunmen who carried the attacks. He said that the police had resolved to arrest the leaders as accomplices because as custodians of the society, no crime will happen without their knowledge.

“The command hereby gives the Berom and Fulani traditional leaders in Barkin Ladi seven days within which to produce the perpetrators of the recent killings. The Berom leaders must produce the 120 cows rustled and those who killed the three Fulani boys while leading grazing cows in Foron village. The Fulani leaders should also produce those behind the killing of over 300 people in Heipang area of Barking Ladi Local Government Area recently,” Olakpe said.

Olakpe said that after the expiration of the seven days and the criminals were not produced, the traditional rulers and leaders would be arrested and charged to court. He condemned the situation where the leaders and parents failed to expose the perpetrators of the despicable acts in the zone.

“The command hereby directs the traditional rulers not to be afraid of the youths in their area as the police are ready to give them protection. Any youth who commits any offence within his domain should be reported to the police or soldiers for possible arrest and prosecution. Any parent or guardian whose ward is involved in any criminal activity and he fails to report to the police will be arrested as an accomplice,” he said.

The Police commissioner expressed regrets that women and children were the worst hit victims of the killers. He said that most of the victims were poor rural dwellers while the children and wives of the elites were shielded. He called on religious leaders to continue preaching peace in order to inculcate good moral behaviours on the youth.

The leaders from different divides promised to work for the sustenance of peace in the area while calling on the police to provide them with necessary protection so as to discharge their duties without fear or favour.

It will be recalled that ViewPointNigeria recently reported the multiple attacks on villages in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau state leading to death of about 40 people mostly made up of women and children.

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Plateau police tells tribal leaders to produce killers within seven days or face arrest