The Plateau state commissioner for information Mr Abraham Yiljab has blamed the on-going crisis in the state on cattle rustling. Speaking to journalists after a Security Council meeting in Jos on Wednesday, the commissioner made reference to the communal clash in Wase and Langtang South Local Government Areas which has claimed lives and valuable properties. He said the theft of cattle has raised suspicion and disharmony between people of different communities leading to the crisis.

Yiljab said Government has taken steps to end the crisis and prevent a reoccurrence while instructing security agencies to arrest perpetrators and restore normalcy. He condemned the resumption of hostilities and stated that the Emergency Relief Agency has been directed to work out modalities for providing relief materials to displaced people.

The Plateau state commissioner for information Mr Abraham Yiljab has blamed the on-going crisis in the state on cattle rustling. Speaking to journalists after a Security Council meeting in Jos on Wednesday, the commissioner made reference to the communal clash in Wase and Langtang South Local Government Areas which has claimed lives and valuable properties. He said the theft of cattle has raised suspicion and disharmony between people of different communities leading to the crisis.

Yiljab said Government has taken steps to end the crisis and prevent a reoccurrence while instructing security agencies to arrest perpetrators and restore normalcy. He condemned the resumption of hostilities and stated that the Emergency Relief Agency has been directed to work out modalities for providing relief materials to displaced people.

In a related development, the Plateau State Government has called on the Federal Government to review the operation of the Special Task Force (STF) tasked with providing security in the State. The state commissioner for Information was reacting to the STF commander, Major General Henry Ayoola who stated that the crisis in Plateau was political. Yiljab said there was need for the review since the crisis has not abated despite the fact that the STF took charge of the state security.

He called on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a committee of eminent personalities to review the operation of the STF. The commissioner added that attackers kill with impunity and disappear into thin air only to resurface and do same while nothing is done to prevent or track them. He decried the situation where Government spend enormous resources on security while killings continue to rise. Yiljab disagreed with Ayoola that politics was responsible as he said no political party office or personality have been attacked since the killings started.

By Henry Johnson

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Plateau Government says cattle rustling responsible for violence, calls for STF review