…Says arrest will expose criminal gangs

Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong

By Chris Ochayi – Abuja

The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has expressed optimism that the recent directive issued by the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong to security agencies to arrest Ardos and other community leaders in the wake of fresh sectarian killings in the state would unveil dynamics behind the mindless killings and destruction.

The Forum in a statement signed by Dr Bitrus Pogu, it’s National President yesterday in Abuja, said the step would go a long way in protecting people from murderous activities of terrorists and criminal gangs terrorising the state and the entire region.

The forum also called on the Governor to walk his talk and deploy relevant mechanisms towards bringing the guilty to justice.

According to it “We are encouraged that the order to arrest Ardos and other community leaders is capable of opening new vistas in understanding the dynamics behind these mindless killings and destruction.

“As the Governor noted, it is impossible and unacceptable for such massive attacks to be unleashed, with no single arrest made by security agencies. Having witnessed colossal and ceaseless attacks in the past weeks, Plateau State has become a cynosure for massacres.

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The statement reads; “The attention of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has been drawn to a recent order by Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State on security agents to arrest all Ardos (Fulani leaders) and community leaders in Bokkos, Riyom, among others, in order to unveil those behind bloody killings and destruction of properties that ripped across the state in the past few weeks.

“The Forum acknowledges the horrifying pains the people on the Plateau have been subjected to and wishes to commiserate with Governor Lalong and the grieving people of the State over these reprehensible murders. There is no doubt that these gory assaults have led to enormous sorrows and cast dark clouds of frightening uncertainties in the skies for the besieged communities.

“The MBF fully identifies and commiserates with the Plateau State Government and the people over this avoidable human and material devastation. We urge Governor Lalong to spare no effort in bringing the perpetrators of these devious murders to justice. When criminals are not brought to account for their dreadful crimes; they get emboldened and continue in their evils to the detriment of peace.

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“As a Forum dedicated to the well-being of peoples living in the Middle Belt Region, we welcome Governor Lalong’s new resolve, which we believe is borne out of a sincere desire to end the interminable bloodshed that is daily becoming an inseparable trait of living for people on the Plateau.

“We are encouraged that the order to arrest Ardos and other community leaders is capable of opening new vistas in understanding the dynamics behind these mindless killings and destruction.

As the Governor noted, it is impossible and unacceptable for such massive attacks to be unleashed, with no single arrest made by security agencies. Having witnessed colossal and ceaseless attacks in the past weeks, Plateau State has become a cynosure for massacres.

“As the Chief Security Officer of Plateau State, we commend Governor Lalong for not sitting idly and watching helplessly at the continuous murders of peaceful citizens of his state, whose only fault is being indigenous people of Plateau State. We call on the Governor to walk his talk and deploy relevant mechanisms towards bringing the guilty to justice.

“The Forum calls on Governor Lalong to stop these unremitting blood-spattered assaults by evolving a security outfit similar to that of Amotekun as adopted by the South-west to arrest further deterioration of security in the state. We believe that an outfit such as that of Amotekun and Join Task Force (JTF), comprising local vigilante groups and security personnel, as practised in the North-east can go a long way in protecting our people from murderous activities of terrorists and criminal gangs.”

Vanguard News Nigeria.