President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday “strongly” condemned “the heinous and brutal attacks in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, which resulted in the tragic loss of many lives.
In a statement by Presidential Spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu directed “security agencies to immediately move in, scour every stretch of the zone, and apprehend the culprits.
“The President also directs immediate mobilization of relief resources for surviving victims of the primitive and cruel attacks as well as medical treatment for the wounded.
“While condoling with the government and the people of Plateau State, President Tinubu assures Nigerians that these envoys of death, pain, and sorrow will not escape justice.”
This is just as Governor of Plateau State, Celeb Mutfwang, said no fewer than 64 communities in the State have been displaced by terrorists who are occupying the areas and some schools.
Speaking on the recent attacks in the state, Governor Mutfwang highlighted the immense burden placed on the state by the continuous displacement of citizens due to terrorist activities.
He told Channels TV on Tuesday that they celebrated Christmas with heavy heart with not less than 17 communities attacked.
He said, “When people are dislocated from their villages and they have to run for shelter, now we are struggling to provide shelter for these people that have been displaced and dislocated from their communities.
“If they stay away from those communities for a sustained period of time, the terrorists would come in. As I am talking to you today (Tuesday), in Riyom Local Government, in Barikin Ladi Local Government, schools have been occupied by these terrorists for almost a number of years now.
“We have not less than 64 communities that have been displaced and their lands have been taken over by these terrorists.”
Furthermore, the Governor condemned the perceived inaction under the previous administration, stating that residents felt the terrorists were given official government backing.
He emphasized that the current occupation of schools did not happen overnight, with some having been seized for as long as five years.
“Under the last regime the feeling among people in Plateau State particularly the victims of these terrorists attacks is that it looks as if the terrorists were given official government backing to be able to terrorise them because little or nothing was done to repel these attacks.
“I can tell you these schools that are being occupied, it didn’t just start now, some of those schools have been occupied in the last three, four, five years.
“Children therefore in those schools have not been able to go to school, they have to relocate, we even have primary health care centres abandoned because of these terrorists which means that our health care system is put in jeopardy, what do we need to do? I think this is where the president needs to come in,” he added.