- Army apprehend angry youths attacking Air Force personnel enforcing curfew, recover gun
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang vowed yesterday that ‘external aggressors’ troubling the state would be kept away and the perpetrators of the recent killings brought to book.
Muftwang, on an assessment tour of communities recently attacked in the Mangu Local Government Area of the state, said while there was the need to preach forgiveness and unity at a time like this, the people should be vigilant to “ward off external forces that divide us and make sure they turn our attention from productive ventures to only crisis management.”
As he spoke, the Special Military Task Force, called Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), said it had apprehended some youths of Kerang in Mangu LGA for allegedly attacking Air Force Personnel deployed to the area to enforce the 24-hour curfew in the area.
The governor, with who were top government officials and security chiefs in the state, visited Kwahaslalek village where 30 people were hacked to death in the latest wave of killings.
He commiserated with the bereaved families and the entire people of the Mangu LGA over the attack.
He asked for continuous dialogue between community leaders to resolve issues capable of causing division and violence among the residents.
He said: “I want to assure the people of Mangu local government that the government of Plateau State will do all it can to ensure that external aggressors are kept away. We are going to also ensure that criminal elements in our midst are dealt with; we will no longer tolerate such activities.
“This is the time to preach forgiveness and preach unity. It is only when we do that, that we can be vigilant to ward off external forces that divide us and make sure they turn our attention from productive ventures to only crisis management. We must not allow that to continue.
“I want to appeal to everyone; if anyone ever thought of giving cover to any criminal, it is time to end that and expose them. It is time to love your brothers more than your friends who are criminals. I plead with us, particularly to the Mwaghavul nation, we have always held ourselves as brothers, even if we are of different faith, we must not lose that sense of brotherhood.”
He warned drug merchants ruining the lives of youths in the state, saying: “Let me sound a word of warning to those who are making huge money from the sale of drugs and narcotics.
“We will come after you very soon because you cannot continue to destroy our young people and go free. By the grace of God, we will put up a strategic plan to contain the menace of drug addiction in the state.”
The Mishkaham Mwaghavul, John Hirse commended the governor for coming to sympathise with the people and urged him to remain focused despite the deliberate attempt to distract him.
He saw no reason for the latest round of destruction.
He said: “It is better to sit down and dialogue than take the law into your hands. We have been living in peace, doing business together.
“We don’t know what brought about this. There is nothing more important than peace.”
He said the violence was designed to distract the governor from “your focus to bring good governance to the people.”
The governor also visited the internally displaced persons who survived the recent attacks in the area.
He assured them that government would do all within its power to return them to their homes.
Following the visit, the governor relaxed the 24-hour curfew earlier imposed on Mangu LGA in the aftermath of the killings.
His Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, said the curfew would now run from 4 pm to 8 am daily until further notice.
He said the review followed an improvement in the security situation in the local government area after strategic engagements with community leaders across faiths and ethnic groups.
OPSH arrests suspects, recovers weapons
Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), in a statement, said it was shocked by the act of aggression of the Kerang youth on troops who were supposed to protect their community.
It said: “This attack, which included firing at the troops’ patrol vehicles, posed a significant threat to the safety of both the military personnel and the community at large.
“During the subsequent operation to apprehend the attackers, the military successfully recovered a significant arsenal of weapons.
“The seized items include one AK-47 rifle, four locally fabricated automatic rifles, one locally made mortar bomb launcher, seven empty shells of 7.62mm, one empty shell of a cartridge, one pistol magazine, 36 Boris, three rounds of 7.62mm, and seven rounds of 9 x 19mm.
“The Nigerian Military denounces this reckless and unlawful act of violence in the strongest possible terms. Such behavior not only endangers the lives of our dedicated troops but also undermines the peace and stability of the entire community.
“We are committed to upholding the rule of law and will not tolerate any attempts to disrupt the peace and security of the region. We urge the peace loving people of Kerang and all citizens to refrain from engaging in acts of violence and to respect the authority of the state.
“The imposition of the 24-hour curfew was a necessary measure to safeguard the lives and property of all residents and it is essential that it be adhered to for the collective well-being of the community.”
