Plateau Killings: Leaders Slam Police Over Arrest Of Eight Suspects

• Describe action as mocking the dead, victims

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – Leaders and stakeholders on the Plateau have described the Nigeria Police Force (NPF)’s reported arrest of eight suspects over the killings of about 200 persons by suspected militias as a mockery of the massive deaths of innocent people in several villages in the state.

This is coming 18 days after the Christmas Eve attacks on over 20 communities of Barki Ladi, Mangu and Bokkos local government areas of the State.

The Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Alfred Alabo had in a press statement issued to newsmen in Jos said the eight suspects were arrested after being fingered in the killings.

Leading the leaders and stakeholders’ charge in rejecting the Police report as mocking those that died, other victims and their family members across the State, the North Central Coordinator of Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Mr Steve Aluko, said it is important for the Police to tell the public where this eight suspects were arrested, whether from the communities or from the forest.

According to him, the Police must also disclose the identities of those suspects arrested given the complaints and protests from some communities that those the Police claimed to have arrested are the youths and residents mobilized to protect their communities from further attacks by the armed militias.

Additionally, Aluko wondered how and why the Police could only arrest eight suspects considering the magnitude of the destruction of lives and property so far.

The CLO Zonal Coordinator expressed unhappiness that the Police are not doing their work diligently, cautioning them to refrain from any shabby investigation in order not to provoke another cycle of violence.

He said by the way and manner the Police are handling the unfortunate incident, they seem to be mismanaging the trust and confidence of the people, a development that may clearly not go down well with many who lost dear ones and are obviously hurting from the killings

Arguing that the essence of policing is to prevent crimes and not to wait until casualties are recorded, Aluko said the current development also clearly indicates clearly the failure of existing security architecture, stressing that the best way out of this quagmire is to encourage not only community policing but also establish State police.

Also speaking to our correspondent in Jos, the secretary general of Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives, PIDAN, the umbrella body of over 54 ethnic groups in Plateau state, Comrade Nanle Gujor said they are not satisfied with the number of arrests made so far by the police .

According to him, if truly the eight people that were arrested by the police were the real suspected armed militias they will be in the position to give more revelations concerning the killings on the Plateau.

“How can the police say only eight people were arrested out of the thousands that carried out the attacks? It means the police are not doing their job. PIDAN is not satisfied with the conduct of the police during and after the attacks,” he said.

Gujor said those allegedly arrested were local youths trying to protect their communities.

“The police went and arrested those protecting their communities and said they have arrested the perpetrators of the heinous act.

“Government has failed in their responsibilities of protecting lives and property and the people have the right to defend themselves since government has failed them.”

In his intervention, the Plateau State Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Mohammad Nura Abdullahi, said it is laughable that the Police would tell the whole world that only eight people were nabbed for such massive carnage and killings visited on innocent community members on the Plateau.

“An attack that left over 300 persons dead and after three weeks, the police are saying only eight suspects were arrested is totally rubbish and unacceptable”, Alhaji Abdullahi fumed.

Also speaking in similar vein, the Secretary General of Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN), Comrade Nanle Gujor said they are not satisfied with the number of arrests made so far by the police.

Gujor said PIDAN, an umbrella body of over 54 ethnic groups in Plateau state, is really piqued by the Police report, adding; “If truly the eight people that were arrested by the police were the real suspected armed militias, they will be in the position to give more revelations concerning the killings on the Plateau.

He told some newsmen in Jos, the Plateau State capital that; “How can the police say only eight people were arrested out of the thousands that carried out the attacks? It means the police are not doing their job.

“PIDAN is not satisfied with the conduct of the police during and after the attacks”, Gujor said, and frowned at a situation where those allegedly arrested by the Police are local youths trying to protect their communities against the rampaging invaders.

According to him; “The police went and arrested those protecting their communities and said they have arrested the perpetrators of the heinous act.

“Government has failed in their responsibilities of protecting lives and property and the people have the right to defend themselves since government has failed them.” – Additional reports from Leadership newspaper