By Taye Obateru

Jos— A member of the House of Representatives from Plateau State, Mr. Bitrus Kaze has joined in condemning last Monday’s killing of over 30 people at Shonong, saying the continued killings despite the presence of the Special task Force, STF, in the state for over six years calls for a review of the security strategy on ground.

He said in a statement that the planned national conference should be used to revisit the need for state police since Federal Government’s security agencies appear unable to cope with the security challenges in different parts of the country.

“These dark years of terrorism even on military installations have put to question the capacity of the Federal Government controlled security agencies alone to curb crime. The call for State Police therefore becomes imperative especially now that the Goodluck Jonathan presidency is staging a National Conference.

“The State Police will understand better its topography, psyche and local sentiments for effective crime control. The efficacy of the Civilian JTF in Borno State and Operations Rainbow on the Plateau in intelligence gathering and counter terrorism provide clinical examples”, he said.

Kaze who represents Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency faulted a situation where the STF often claim to have repelled the attackers after they have wreaked havoc on communities adding, “it offends the collective sensibilities of our people when STF goes to press to commend its men for pursuing terrorists to obscurity only after maximum damage has been done.”

He said the situation had become frustrating for political, religious and other leaders of thought who had been reassuring the people of an end to the attacks as they “no longer know what to say” in the face of the recurring attacks.
He commended the Plateau State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, for speaking up against the killings and for challenging the STF to be more alive to its responsibility urging other labour unions to join her in this crusade.
“Having lost several members to terrorism, the pains and frustrations expressed by the Plateau State Chapter of the NUJ must be understood and taken very seriously”, Kaze said.

The council had in a communique at the end of a congress on Wednesday last week expressed worry that the attacks had continued for years without let despite the presence of the STF and wondered why none of the attackers has ever been arrested despite repeated claims by the force to have “repelled” the attacks.
It urged “the commander of the task force to investigate all allegations against possible culpability and connivance of his men in some of these killings” and the Federal Government to release reports on investigations into past crises especially the one by the Solomon Lar Presidential Advisory Committee.