By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos—The Plateau State government has inaugurated a seven-man committee to see to the speedy return of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the various camps in the state to their places of original abode.

File: IDPs

The government warned that it will not tolerate indiscriminate occupation of lands by any group in the name of land grabbing.

The committee, which has a month to submit its report is “to identify the areas affected, those displaced and areas they were displaced from, ascertain the number of people affected and displaced, identify those who have annexed the destroyed villages, work out modalities for the effective return of the affected persons to their original places of abode.”

It will be recalled that over 35,000 persons were recently displaced after over 200 people were killed in Barakin-Ladi and Riyom local government areas.

Inaugurating the committee, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Rufus Bature, expressed dismay at the indiscriminate occupation of land as a result of the attacks in the areas, saying government would not condone such atrocity but would deal decisively with any group of people engaging in such act.

Responding, Chairman of the committee, Air Vice Marshall Bala Danbaba (retd) said the assignment of the committee was not what anyone would want to do considering the circumstances surrounding it but assured that the committee would carry out the assignment with all sense of responsibility to ensure that those displaced return to their original abodes within a short period of time.

Apc elders, veteran journalists applaud move

Meanwhile, Plateau Advisory Council of All Progressives Congress, APC and the League of Veteran Journalists of Nigeria, have commended the effort and called for citizens’ support.

In separate press statements issued in Jos, the APC group through Captain Joseph Din (retd) and the veteran journalists through their Chairman, Gideon Barde and Secretary, Tunde Oladapo all urged the Federal Government to render support to the state government to enable it fully reintegrate the people to their communities.