Plateau Massacre: FG Vows Justice, IGP Sends Squad After Killers
Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Wednesday, assured that President Bola Tinubu’s administration would not rest on its oars until victims of the gruesome attacks in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State get justice.
The Vice President gave the assurance when he paid a condolence visit to the affected communities in the state.
The attacks, which began on Saturday and lasted about 48 hours, gunmen killed over 150 villagers and razed many houses, with over 10,000 people reportedly displaced.
Shettima, who was accompanied by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said President Tinubu was heartbroken about the killings, vowing that the perpetrators would not go scot-free.
He said, “President Tinubu is deeply shaken by this tragedy and shares in this unspeakable sorrow that has shattered the joy of Christmas across the country.
“When one community bleeds, the entire nation feels the pain. The pain we feel now transcends ethnicity or religion, geography or politics. The grief that binds us is a testament to our shared humanity, not differences.
“We cannot fathom the depth of this grief beyond the experience of the bereaved. We can only offer to assuage your pain. What has happened to you is a funeral for the entire nation. Our hearts bleed alongside yours, our dear brothers and sisters in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, and all over Plateau State.”
He assured the communities that “we won’t rest until you access justice and until you are safe.”
During the visit, the Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Area, Monday Kassam, told Shettima how 148 persons were killed in his local government.
“It is with deep feelings in my heart that I stand now to recount a little of the ordeal,” Kassam said.
“In Mangur village, 53 (were) killed; Mbar, 26; Tangur, four; Bokkos Central, 31; Butura, 33; Mushere, one. In all, 148 innocent Bokkos villagers were massacred unprovoked in cold blood. Twenty-five communities were affected, and 1,290 homes were burnt down. Eighty-one vehicles, 187 motorcycles, 267 water pumps were also burnt while 88 persons are receiving treatments of serious injuries,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of officers and equipment to Plateau State to apprehend the hoodlums responsible for the Christmas Eve massacre.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made the development known in a statement on Wednesday while noting that the IG had also ordered an immediate investigation into the incident.
Adejobi said, “In the wake of the appalling attacks on numerous villages in Plateau State, resulting in the tragic loss of lives in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, vehemently condemns these heinous acts as not only barbaric but also reprehensible and inhumane.
“In response to this grave situation, the IG has taken decisive action by ordering the immediate deployment of additional manpower and resources to Plateau State. This strategic move aims to assist the local police authority and other security apparatus in effectively managing the crisis and ensuring the safety of the residents in the affected LGAs and the entire state.”
He added that in recognition of the need for a thorough investigation, “the IG has directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department and his counterpart in the Department of Force Intelligence to constitute a high-powered investigative team. This team is tasked with unravelling the circumstances surrounding the incident and bringing those responsible to justice.
“The police and other security agencies are deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to tackle the lingering crises that look recurrent in the state. The IG further admonishes warring groups, residents and the entire state to embrace peace and shun violence and unwarranted killings of innocent souls.”
The Defence Headquarters, on Wednesday, said troops received over 30 distress calls from the villagers during the attacks, but troops’ response was delayed because the terrain was poor.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, the governor of the state, Caleb Mutfwang, had said the response of security agencies to the attacks could have been better.
Muftwang said, “I wouldn’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. Certainly, the response time can be better. There were distress calls sent out. Some of the responses would have been delayed for various reasons, including the nature of our terrain.”
In an interview on Wednesday, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, “The assailants took advantage of the relative peace that had returned to the state due to the military pressure of the past months. There were over 30 distressed calls from the communities when the attack was ongoing. Before troops could arrive at some of the locations, the havoc had been done.
“The combination of the difficult terrain and other factors played a role in delaying troops’ arrival at some of the locations. The assailant had intentionally planned to attack several locations at the same time to make it difficult for troops to reach there on time. Troops strategy is being rejigged to allow faster intervention in future.”
Amnesty International had on Tuesday called on the authorities to investigate the inability of the security agencies to curb the attacks.
According to the AI Country Director, Isa Sanusi, their investigation showed that the armed men operated for more than 48 hours, moving from one village to another.
He said, “Our investigation shows that the gunmen were on the rampage of killing and destruction for more than 48 hours, moving from one village to another. Apart from Bokkos Local Government Area, where the attacks started and lasted hours, the gunmen also crossed into Barkin Ladi Local Government Area and killed dozens of people in Hurum, Daruwat, Maiyanga, and NTV villages.
“President Bola Tinubu must set up an impartial, independent, and effective panel to investigate the apparent failure of security agencies to halt the bloodshed hours after villages that were attacked were gathering dead bodies of those killed and conveying those injured to hospitals.”
