Police threaten to arrest monarchs over Plateau attacks
(Nigeria) The Plateau State Police Command on Wednesday threatened to arrest
traditional and tribal leaders in the state whose domains continued to record
attacks by unknown gunmen.
Mr Chris Olakpe, the Commissioner of Police in the state,
said this in Jos at a stakeholders' meeting with various tribes in Plateau
North Senatorial zone.
Olakpe debunked the claims by the leaders that the attacks
were carried out by unknown gunmen.
He said that the police had resolved to arrest the leaders
as accomplices because as custodian of the society no crime would happen
without their knowledge.
“The command hereby gives the Berom and Fulani traditional
leaders in Barkin Ladi seven days within which to produce the perpetrators of
the recent killings.
“The Berom leaders must produce the 120 cows rustled and
those that killed the three Fulani boys while grazing cows in Foron village.
“The Fulani leaders should also produce those behind the killing
of over 300 people in Hypang area of Barking Ladi Local Government recently.”
The police commissioner said that after the expiration of
the seven days and the criminals were not produced, the traditional rulers
would be arrested and charged to court.
Olakpe condemned the situation where the traditional rulers
and the parents had failed to exposed the perpetrators of the nefarious acts in
the area.
He expressed concern that youths in the area were no longer
under parental control and advised the parents to always guide their children
so that peace would return to the area.
“The command hereby directs the traditional rulers not be
afraid of the youth in their area as the police is ready to give them
protection. Any youth that commits any offence within their domain should be
reported to the police or soldiers for possible arrest and prosecution.
“Any parent or guardian whose ward is involved in any
criminal activity and he fails to report to the police will be arrested as an
accomplice.”
The commissioner regretted that women, children and pregnant
mothers were worst hit victims of the faceless criminals.
Olakpe said also that most of the victims were poor rural
folks while the children and wives of elite were shielded.
He called on the Pastors and Imams not to relent in
preaching peace messages in order to inculcate good moral behaviours on the
youth.
Mr Patrick Dangal, a Berom village head, promised that they
would be up and doing in monitoring the community with a view to exposing the
criminals.
Dangal appealed to the police to give them all the necessary
protection in order for them to discharge their duties without fear or favour.
The leaders from the Muslim and Christian sides also pledged
to give the police the necessary support.
Comments
Post a Comment