Riot policemen take over troubled areas in Plateau

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Riot policemen take over troubled areas in Plateau

The Commissioner of Police in Plateau State, Mr Bartholomew Onyenka, has deployed Mobile Police personnel to troubled communities as part of efforts to restore sanity to the North-Central state.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Alfred Alabo, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Jos.

Alabo quoted the commissioner as charging the personnel to fish out those behind the killings in some communities and restore lasting peace to the affected areas.

The PRO added that Onyenka, however, warned them to be professional as anyone caught wanting would not be spared.

Meanwhile, at least, eight people have been killed in a fresh attack by gunmen in Plateau State.

It was learnt that the incident occurred on Friday night in Rawuru community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.

A youth leader in the community, Solomon Dalyop confirmed the killings to Sunday PUNCH in Jos on Saturday.

Dalyop said, “So far, we have confirmed that eight persons were killed during the attack last night in Rawuru community in Barkin LGA. What we don’t understand is that before the attack took place, some soldiers came to the village in the afternoon. We also saw them in the night.

“And yet, the villagers were attacked leading to the killing of the victims who were in their homes. How come the assailants will carry out the attacks successfully without being apprehended by the soldiers and the security agents who are also within the community?”

Another community leader and president Global Society for Middle Belt Heritage, Jerry Datim, who described the attacks as one too many, called for a thorough investigation into the activities of the personnel of the Military Taskforce deployed to maintain peace in Plateau communities

He noted that a total of 276 persons had been killed in different communities in the past one month following the persistent attacks with over 30,000 displaced,” Datim added.

Efforts to speak with the spokesman for the state Police Command, Alabo Alfred, proved abortive as he did not pick his calls when contacted on the latest attacks in the affected communities.