Police To Start Arresting Monarchs Over Plateau Attacks

Following incessant attacks on communities in the state, the Plateau state police command on Wednesday threatened to arrest traditional and tribal leaders in the state whose domains continued to record attacks by unknown gunmen.
Disclosing this in Jos at a stakeholders’ meeting with various tribes in Plateau North Senatorial zone, Mr Chris Olakpe, the Commissioner of Police in the state, debunked the claims by the leaders that the attacks were carried out by unknown gunmen.
According to him, the police had resolved to arrest the leaders as accomplices because as custodian of the society, no crime would happen without their knowledge.
“The command hereby gives the Berom and Fulani traditional leaders in Barkin Ladi seven days within which to produce the perpetrators of the recent killings.
“The Berom leaders must produce the 120 cows rustled and those that killed the three Fulani boys while grazing cows in Foron village.
“The Fulani leaders should also produce those behind the killing of over 300 people in Hypang area of Barking Ladi Local Government recently.”
The police commissioner said that after the expiration of the seven days and the criminals were not produced, the traditional rulers would be arrested and charged to court.
Olakpe condemned the situation where the traditional rulers and the parents had failed to exposed the perpetrators of the nefarious acts in the area.
He expressed concern that youths in the area were no longer under parental control and advised the parents to always guide their children so that peace would return to the area.
“The command hereby directs the traditional rulers not be afraid of the youth in their area as the police is ready to give them protection.
“Any youth that commits any offence within their domain should be reported to the police or soldiers for possible arrest and prosecution.
“Any parent or guardian whose ward is involved in any criminal activity and he fails to report to the police will be arrested as an accomplice.”
The commissioner regretted that women, children and pregnant mothers were worst hit victims of the faceless criminals.
Olakpe said also that most of the victims were poor rural folks while the children and wives of elite were shielded.
He called on the Pastors and Imams not to relent in preaching peace messages in order to inculcate good moral behaviours on the youth.
Mr Patrick Dangal, a Berom village head, promised that they would be up and doing in monitoring the community with a view to exposing the criminals.
Dangal appealed to the police to give them all the necessary protection in order for them to discharge their duties without fear or favour.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that leaders from the Muslim and Christian sides also pledged to give the police the necessary support.
NAN reports that 40 people recently lost their lives in multiple attacks by unknown gunmen in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state. [NAN]