President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to “immediately move in, scour every stretch of the zone, and apprehend the culprits” of Sunday night’s attack in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Plateau State, which has resulted in the death of over 115 people.
Several houses were set ablaze by the attackers, while the gun-wielding and blood-curling men also looted farm produce and destroyed property as they butchered the residents.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the President “strongly condemns the heinous and brutal attacks”.
The statement further read: “The President also directs immediate mobilisation 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”.
A grieving Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, said the attacks were unprovoked. He tasked security agents to unravel the sponsors of the “carnage” and their blood-thirsty foot-soldiers.
“Just when we had finished preparations for Christmas, unprovoked attacks were unleashed on our communities
“As I am talking to you, in Mangu Local Government alone, we buried 15 people. As at this morning, in Bokkos, we are counting over 100 corpses. Not to talk of that of Barkin-Ladi”, a sombre-faced Mutfwang narrated the blood-curling simultaneous attacks by assailants on over 15 communities in the two LGAs.
The governor said the attacks were “unprecedented and monumental”, noting that though the assailants intended to break the spirit of the people and pull down the two local governments, the spirit of the people on the Plateau remained unfazed.
Mutfwang, however, said the response time by security agents, especially the men of the Nigerian Army could be better.
He also said that the attacks were connected to land disputes between aboriginal dwellers and marauding terrorists.
He warned that the people attacked could defend themselves but it might get to a time that the people might not be able to restrain themselves from defending themselves and their lands against the assailants.
