Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has ordered security forces to immediately confront attackers threatening the lives of people in villages around Bokkos Local Government Area.
In a statement by the Governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, the governor described the recent spade of attacks on some villages leading to loss of lives as unacceptable, saying the attackers must be fished out and not allowed to go unpunished.
The governor was reacting to a report of attacked by gunmen on Saturday 8th October 2022, at Kuliyas Village in Butura, Bokkos that left 4 persons death including the village head.
This is coming after other reported isolated killings in other villages of Follo, Karara, Bokkos, and Mangor as well as the kidnap of some students at All Nation’s Academy who were eventually rescued by security forces.
Meanwhile, the Governor has commended security forces whose combined efforts together with Vigilante and hunter groups ensured the rescue of 10 persons kidnapped by bandits in Bashar, Wase Local Government Area.
He praised the prompt action of the Police, Operation Safe Haven and community watch groups who gave the hoodlums a hot chase and ensured that all the kidnapped persons and other stolen items were recovered.
The Governor says this level of criminality must be addressed wholistically by the security agencies in collaboration with the traditional and community leaders leveraging on the structures of community policing and vigilante groups.
He warns criminals that his administration will not allow them return the days of darkness to the State under any guise.
Governor Lalong sympathized with the families of the victims and assured them that those behind the attacks will be made to pay for their actions.
He also called for vigilance among the citizens and timely passage of intelligence and information to security agencies to proactively prevent such attacks.