The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Plateau

  • Jang dissolves LG caretaker committees

    Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau state on Wednesday dissolved the caretaker committees of the 17 Local Governments Areas and appointed interim administrators to manage them.

    The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Abraham Yiljap, announced the dissolution when he briefing newsmen in Jos.

    Yiljap said the action was part of the build-up for the local government elections slated for Dec. 7.

    “Gov. Jonah Jang has approved the dissolution of management committees of the 17 Local Governments of the state.

    “We have seen it as a government to take further step to concretise our plans and commitment to the people of Plateau and to conduct free, fair and credible local government elections.

    “This step taken will give a level playing ground to all actors seeking offices at the local governments.

    “You may be aware that some of the local government caretaker committee chairmen are also interested in seeking elections into the local governments.

    The commissioner said that the Deputy Governor, Ignaitius Longjan, met with the outgoing caretaker committee chairmen on behalf of the governor on Wednesday to bid them farewell.

    “On the other hand, Jang has approved the appointment of interim administrators for the 17 local governments,’’ he said.

    He said the administrators were career civil servants, comprising eight permanent secretaries and nine directors.

  • ‘Floods destroy over 300 homes in Plateau’

    The Plateau State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has said floods have destroyed over 300 homes and other property worth millions of naira, following four hours of downpour in parts of the state.

    The floods also washed away vehicles, poultry farms, crops and household items.

    Though no one was reported dead in last Friday’s flood, several people were reported missing.

    Hundreds of victims of last year’s floods have not recovered from the loss they incurred in the disaster.

    The state government acknowledged the receipt of N500 million from the Federal Government on last year’s floods. But the victims said they are yet to receive any help from the state.

    Last Friday’s floods affected five local governments: Jos North, Shendam, Kanam, Barkin Ladi and Kanke.

    SEMA’s Executive Secretary Alhaji Alhassan Barde said over 300 houses were affected by by the floods.

     

     

     

     

  • Gunmen kill six in fresh Plateau attacks

    Gunmen kill six in fresh Plateau attacks

    •Police confirm killing of five family members

    The Plateau State Government yesterday said gunmen, on Sunday night, killed six members of two families in the state.

    A statement in Jos, the state capital, by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Yiljap Abraham, confirmed the killings.

    Yiljap said: “The Plateau State Government has received reports of attacks on some communities in the state with great indignation.

    “The unprovoked killing of six members of two families in their homes in Kungte village, Kanadap (near Marraraban Jama’a) in Kuru District of Jos South Local Government Area by gunmen on Sunday, September 1, is an evil and wicked act that should be condemned by all members of society.

    “It is also a display of cowardice by the perpetrators who, under the cover of darkness, deliberately chose to visit violence on vulnerable members of society – women and children – to achieve clearly devilish designs.

    “Such attacks, coming at a time the state has been mostly peaceful for quite some time, appears a desperate attempt to reverse the gains of our hard-earned efforts in breaking down the barriers of ethnic and religious intolerance and thereby rebuilding the bridges of communal consensus.

    “Such intentions will fail because Plateau people have made up their minds to live in peace with one another and, together with the state government and security agencies, they will frustrate every attempt at taking the state back to the days of bloodshed and gloom. The current level of peace in the state is for consolidation, not evaporation!

    “The government shares the pains of victims of these heinous crimes and declares that those behind such acts will face justice in the long run. We call on communities to remain alert always and work closely with security agencies in the sustenance of peace.

    “Meantime, security agencies have intensified their cordon-and-search operations and will take other steps to enforce their constitutional responsibility of maintaining law and order.”

    The Plateau State Police Command yesterday confirmed the killing of five members of a family at Kunte village, near Maraba Jama’a, in Jos South Local Government Area of the state, by some gunmen.

    Police spokesman, Felicia Anslem, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos, the state capital, that the murder took place around 10.45pm on September 1.

    Anslem said those killed were a “father, mother and three children”.

    The spokesperson said investigation into the killings has begun, adding that the police were doing their best to apprehend the culprits.

    “The police had dispatched a team to search for the perpetrators of this criminal act, so that they would be brought to justice,” she said.

    Anslem said the incident was neither a crisis nor connected with religious or ethnic inclination but was purely an act of criminality.

    “The moment something like this happens, many people tend give other meanings, but it was purely a criminal act, which must be taken as such,” she said.

  • Plateau prepares 241 illegal immigrants for deportation

    THE Plateau State government in collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested 241 immigrants in the state.

    The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yiljab Abraham, stated this yesterday while addressing reporters in Jos.

    The suspects, Abraham assured, will be deported soon.

    The commissioner said: “Most of the arrested suspects could be a threat to the prevailing peace in the state if not deported.”

    He advised residents to be watchful and report suspicious persons to security operatives immediately.

    On attacks last Thursday by gunmen, Abraham said: “The incident was not an attack or outbreak of violence but an armed robbery case.”

    He stated that six suspects have been arrested in connection with the case.

    The commissioner also said reports of cattle getting last around Jos East have been received, stating over 100 of the cattle have however been recovered by vigilance groups.

     

  • NDLEA arrests 185 suspected drug dealers in Plateau

    The Plateau State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it seized 1,320 kilogrammes of cannabis (Indian hemp) and other prohibited substances since the beginning of this year.

    The command also arrested 185 suspected drug dealers between January and August.

    The State Commandant Ngozi Madubuike spoke yesterday in Jos, the state capital.

    She said: “Though Plateau State is not a cannabis-producing state, but it ranks among states with high rate of consumption.”

    Mrs. Madubuike said most of the cannabis seized was brought into the state from other places.

    She said 85 persons were admitted into the command’s rehabilitation programme, adding that 63 of them have been discharged, following their recuperation; then other 22 are said to be undergoing rehabilitation.

    The NDLEA commandant decried the high rate psychotropic substances are consumed among youths in the state, blaming it on the absence of laws guiding the sale of drugs in the state.

    She said: “Parental disintegration, peer pressure and unemployment are major causes of drugs and substance abuse in the state. I, therefore, wish to call on parents to watch their children by giving them parental guidance to prevent the intake of alcohol and cigarettes which are gateway drugs.”

    Mrs Madubuike reiterated the need to begin Drug-Free Clubs in Plateau schools to prevent youths from drug abuse.

    According to her, the NDLEA is ready to partner the Ministry of Education in championing this cause.

     

  • Plateau APC begins talks on office structures

    The Plateau State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the three parties in its fold have begun talks on how to form formidable structures for the party.

    It hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registering the party.

    The State Publicity Secretary of the absorbed Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the parties in the APC merger, Jamilu Baba, spoke in Jos, the state capital.

    He said: “The Plateau State chapter of the party will be the first to establish state structures of the new party as soon as the national body of the party gives the go-ahead.

    “Politicians on the Plateau are the happiest for the formal registration of the APC. In fact, we are set to take off in the state with all necessary party structures because we have got a party and we can’t afford any delay. Plateau people are anxious to welcome the party with both arms.

    “Politicians on the Plateau see the formal registration of APC by the INEC as the best thing the commission has ever done for democracy in the country. This is because the APC is the right platform for democracy to thrive in this country.

    “Plateau people are tired of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and they are anxiously waiting for an alternative platform, which has come with the emergence of the APC.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Plateau NUJ opens condolence register

    The Plateau State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has opened a condolence register in honour of the three Lagos and Oyo Councils’ officials who died last Friday in an accident in Osun State.

    The state NUJ Chairman Katdapba Gobum said the death of the three journalists was saddening.

    He said the register would give sympathisers the opportunity to condole the families of the deceased.

    Gobum said: “The death of the committed journalists has touched so many Nigerians, including those residing in Plateau State. This is why the state council considered it essential to open a condolence register, so that those coming to pay their condolences would sign. Members of the state council would also sign.”

     

     

     

     

  • The battle to restore peace on the Plateau

    Ethnic groups of Plateau South Senatorial Zone – Tarok, Jukun, Fulani, Bogom, Goemai, etc- are at daggers drawn as the love that binds the people together has gone with the wind. YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU examines efforts to restore the lost love and peace in the zone.

     

    The Plateau State government under the leadership of Governor Jonah David Jang, the Special Task Force (STF) code named ‘Operation safe haven’ led by its Commander Major General Henry Ayiola and the state Police Command led by its Commissioner, Chris Olakpe, are currently facing a battle of their lives at the Plateau South Senatorial Zone where ethnic violence is raging.

    After they had succeeded in the long battle to restore peace in the volatile Northern Senatorial Zone, similar crisis broke out in the Southern Senatorial district at a time these custodians of peace and security in the state were thinking of celebrating their victory in the battle at Plateau North.

    This time around, the government and security agencies seemed to be acting with experience and as well as learning from past mistakes in the handling of the past crisis in the Northern Senatorial Zone. Their response to the prevailing crisis in Plateau South has been prompt and effective from all indications.

    There have been lingering ethnic conflicts within the Southern Senatorial Zone of the state since January this year. But what appeared like a mere misunderstanding among the various ethnic groups in the zone began to degenerate into violent confrontations. Early in the month of July, hired mercenaries were allegedly used by one of the ethnic groups to attack perceived enemies. The attack by suspected Fulani militia in one night led to the death of over 30 residents of three communities of Langtang South Local Government.

    Following the violent attack, the STF responded effectively by relocating their armoury to Plateau South to restore confidence in the people of the zone. The troops of the task force moved into the zone in their thousands to reclaim the areas from armed insurgents found to be lurking around the borders.

    Healing the wounds

    When the task force was convinced it had secured the areas, the commander organised a peace parley in the zone to dialogue with various stakeholders in the localities. The peace parley which was held at the Shendam Township Stadium attracted youths from seven local governments that made up the zone including, Wase, Mikang, Quan Pan, Kanam, Langtang North, Shendam and Langtang South.

    While addressing participants at the peace parley, commander of the STF, Major General Henry Ayiola, said, “This peace parley was meant to address the major source of conflicts in the zone with the aim of restoring total peace.

    “As a task force, we have all the weapon to enforce peace wherever there is trouble, but going by the civil-military relations the Chief of Army Staff has been preaching about, we have to drop our weapons and dialogue with the people. It is our hope that providing opportunity for people to air their grievances and forgiveness will go a long way in healing injuries sustained from the crisis.”

    Gen Ayiola told the youths of the zone to resolve to end the bloodshed and work to promote peace. In his words: “It is sacrilegious to our culture and religion to take someone’s life. Human being is God’s creature; you will be offending God by killing His creature when you know you cannot replace it. God did not create anyone by mistake, he has a purpose for creating somebody, and nobody came to this world by accident.”

    He added, “God is too busy and purposeful to create somebody for nothing. Besides, the holy books made us to understand that you will reap whatever you sow. So if we shed blood, we will continue to shed more blood, so I plead with you to shelve your swords today and begin to sow lobe so that we can reap peace”

     

    After hours of sermon by the STF commander, the participants in the peace parley expressed their resolve to stop the violence and become peace ambassadors of the zone. They also agreed to forgive themselves and co-exist peacefully hence forth.

    Gen Ayiola, who also addressed various Fulani community leaders in the zone, warned them not to allow enemies of peace to use ethnic and religious barriers to separate them from other ethnic groups in the zone. He assured them that the task force will do more to protect their cattle from rustlers. He further intimated the Fulani that the genesis of the violence is cow rustling being carried out by criminals with the connivance of some other Fulani.

    While the special task force was preaching tolerance and peace in the zone, the governor, Jonah David Jang, set up a peace and reconciliation committee comprising mainly of political leaders from the zone to ensure peace is restored within the shortest time possible. The government peace committee which is chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, John Bull Shekarau, has since sprung into action.

    Reconciliatory efforts

    Earlier, the Deputy Governor, Ignatius Longjan, who also hails from the zone, led a meeting of political stakeholders to develop the best strategies with which to end the bloodshed in the area. The outcome of that meeting was the constitution of the peace and reconciliation committee chaired by the state deputy speaker. The committee is currently on tour of the seven local governments involved in the conflict where they preach peace and established dialogue among the ethnic groups.

    Members of the government peace and reconciliation committee set by Gov Jang includes the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yiljab Abraham, House of Assembly member, Joy Ramnam, Special Adviser on Labour, Samuel Kwamkur, Special Adviser on Conflict Resolution, Timothy Parlong, Commissioner for Water Resources, Idih Waziri, member of the state House of Assembly, Zainab Dogo, Joe Lamu and head of special task force in the zone, Col Harry Daniel, including all council chairmen from the zone.

    While inaugurating the committee, Gov Jang mandated them to move into the zone as fast as possible to ensure that peace is restored. Jang said, “Go and stop the bloodshed; the state cannot afford to lose its human resources as a result of violence. The state human resources is dwindling with all these crises, enough is enough, you have a task to go right and sit down with the people and find out what went wrong and what is to be done to return to status quo where we used to enjoy mutual co-existence irrespective of ethnic, political and religious affiliation.”

    The paramount ruler of the zone and chairman, Langtang North and South Traditional Council, Gen. Domkat Balli (rtd), has also set in motion a committee comprising Tarok elders to brainstorm on possible solution to the lingering conflict in the zone. The Tarok committee comprising 18 Tarok elders is chaired by Dr. Nandul Durfa.

    A Tarok youth leader, Istifanus Ayuba from Langtang North, remarked that the approach of government, traditional rulers and the task force towards solving the security problems in the zone is highly commendable. He said youths of the local government are confident that the crises will not last considering the combined efforts of the stakeholders.

    Alhaji Mumini Shuaibu, a Fulani from Wase, said the concern of government and all stakeholders on the crisis is exemplary and has given them confidence that government cares for them. He said, “If only government and security agencies can protect our cattle from being rustled, there would be no conflict in the zone.”

    Gen Ayiola confirmed that all the ethnic groups in the zone rear cattle and own herds of cow. He also said, “All the tribes in the zone are also guilty of cow rustling, it is not a crime of one tribe, all of them are involved. All we are saying now is that there will be a strategy to be adopted by STF to stop cow rustling and that will go a long way in reducing the source of conflict.”

    The people are waiting.

  • Our children still missing, weeks after attack, say Plateau women

    Several mothers in Langtang South Local Government Area of Plateau State have said their children were still missing, weeks after the attack on their communities by gunmen suspected to be Fulani militia.

    Mrs Julcit Musa, chairperson of Tarok Women Association, spoke yesterday in Mabudi, Langtang South Local Government Area, when the peace committee set up by Governor Jonah Jang visited victims of the attack.

    Other members of the committee are: the Commissioner for Information, Yiljab Abraham; the member representing Langtang South in the House of Assembly, Joyce Ramnap; the Special Adviser on Labour, Samuel Kumakur, among others.

    In tears, Mrs Musa told the delegation that over 30 women could not find their children or their bodies since the attack.

    Some armed men, suspected to be Fulani, attacked three communities in the local government early this month. They killed 30 members of the communities and burnt several homes.

    Following the attack, Jang constituted the peace committee to dialogue with the stakeholders and restore peace in the areas.

    When the committee, chaired by the Deputy Speaker Johnbull Shekarau visited the area yesterday, scores of women trooped out to express their agony over the attack.

    They told the committee that several children were still missing.

    Mrs. Musa said: “We were sleeping when the attackers came in the middle of the night. We ran at various directions for safety. We are now in camps but many of our children are not here with us. We could not even find their bodies, to confirm that they are dead. The government should please help us to find them.

    “We also want the government to protect us by making sure those who attacked us face justice. This is because we never offended them to warrant the attack.”

    Commissioner for Water Resources Idi Waziri said the crisis and attacks have reduced the population of the state.

    He said recent statistics showed that the rate of births in the state has decreased as a result of the crisis in parts of the state.

    The Chairman of the local government, Narman Darko, said the residents were ready to dialogue and ensure that peace returned to the community.

    He urged the government to bring to justice the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

    “My people in Langtang South are still surprised why we were attacked. My people are peace-loving. My people still live in fear. Our people hardly go to farm because of the fear of the unknown.”

  • Plateau sets up peace, reconciliation committee

    Plateau sets up peace, reconciliation committee

    The Plateau Government on Friday set up a committee to work for the restoration of peace and reconcile warring parties in the southern senatorial zone of the State.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Ignatius Longjan in Jos on Friday

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the zone had been experiencing attacks and counter attacks between the Fulani and Tarrok natives.

    “Following series of meetings held by political office holders and stakeholders in the zone, it became imperative to set up this committee to work towards restoration of peace in the area,’’ the statement said.

    The committee was mandated to resolve disputes among warring parties, inculcate the need for peaceful co-existence on residents and make recommendations that would engender sustainable peace.

    Members of the committee include Mr. Johnbull Shekarau, Chairman and Mr. Samuel Kwamkur, Secretary.

    Others are Mr. Abraham Yiljap, Rev. Fr. Joseph Daffa, Mr. Timothy Parlong, and representatives of Police, Special Taskforce and NSCDC, among others.