DIRECTORATE
OF PRESS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS,

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR, PLATEAU
STATE

PRESS RELEASE

GOVERNOR LALONG MEETS
STAKEHOLDERS/SECURITY CHIEFS OVER BOKKOS KILLINGS, INSISTS THAT KILLERS MUST BE
PRODUCED.

Incensed by the murder of villagers and destruction of properties
in Kwatas Village of Bokkos Local Government Council, Plateau State Governor
Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong has met with stakeholders which include heads of
security agencies, Traditional Rulers, Community Leaders and Ardos representing
the Fulani community at the government house where he insisted that the perpetrators
must be fished out immediately.

The Governor who addressed the stakeholders at the Government
House, Little Rayfield-Jos expressed anger over the incident which he said will
not be allowed to degenerate further and make nonsense of the efforts put in to
restore peace to the state, insisting that nobody is above Government.

He said “how can they say that people are killed and there is
no arrest. Are those killing others spirits? I don’t think you can kill 15 human
beings and claim you are spirit and there is not arrest. Commissioner of
Police, you should take the community leaders and the Ardos with you so that
they can tell you those behind these killings. By the time you go to cell, you
will bring out those people that are doing it. If you want to give evidence,
give it to the commissioner of police. We are not afraid of criminals.”

“Some community leaders and Ardos have done their best but
within us, there are criminals. We must expose them no matter how high. If you
are one of them, you better take yourself to the police station. The Army is
here, Police, Civil Defence, DSS, Operation Rainbow. I want those people today.
They should not sleep in their houses. By the time they are arrested, we will
solve this problem”. The Governor said.

Commissioner of Police in Plateau State Isaac Akimoyede
earlier briefed the Governor on the crises and the efforts to contain it explaining
that he had held a meeting with the community leaders last Saturday based on
intelligence where he warned against any breach of the peace.

“Since I have been in the state since February, no event of
this magnitude have happened. We have been investigating the incident in Mangun
and then this. We cannot continue in this situation in the State. The security
agencies have resolved that those people killing must be arrested no matter how
highly placed. Peace must return to this state as we cannot continue in this
situation. If anyone has grievances, he should come up and say it so that we
can find solution, not to take the laws into his hand and kill. We will not
allow it” the CP said.

He assured the Governor that the security personnel have been
deployed in the troubled areas to forestall any spread of the crises beyond the
initial areas.

Dr. Makut Simon Macham ANIPR

Director of Press & Press Affairs to

the Governor of Plateau State.

28th January 2020.

count | 198

GOVERNOR LALONG MEETS STAKEHOLDERS/SECURITY CHIEFS OVER BOKKOS KILLINGS, INSISTS THAT KILLERS MUST BE PRODUCED