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Tag: Plateau

  • Plateau crisis: Troops eliminate 3 bandits in Mangu, recover weapons

    Plateau crisis: Troops eliminate 3 bandits in Mangu, recover weapons

    Troops of 3 Division Nigerian Army deployed to quell the crisis in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau, on Wednesday neutralised three bandits in the general area.

    The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a statement in Abuja.

    Nwachukwu said the troops obliterated the criminals when they gallantly fought through an ambush staged by the bandits, while responding to a distress call in Mangu general area.

    He said the troops recovered three AK 47 rifles, 14 rounds of 7.62 mm Special rounds, one motorcycle and a Constabulary Police Identity card after successfully clearing the ambush.

    According to him, troops are currently on the trail of bandits who escaped with gunshot wounds during the fire fight.

  • Gunmen kill 8 villagers in Plateau community

    Gunmen kill 8 villagers in Plateau community

    Yet-to-identified gunmen have killed eight villagers at Farin Lamba community in Vwang District of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau.

    Mr Rwang Tengwong, National Publicity Secretary, Berom Youth Movement (BYM), a socio-cultural group, disclosed this in statement on Monday in Jos.

    Tengwong said that the criminals invaded the community on Sunday night.

    ”The gunmen invaded the village at about 9:45p.m. on Sunday in a car and shot sporadically at the victims.

    ”Eight persons were killed including an eight-month-old baby.

    ”The minor was killed alongside the father; they were returning from the hospital,”he said

    Tengwong decried the spate of killings in several communities in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South and Mangu local government areas, adding that the trend had led to massive destruction of farmlands, houses and other properties.

    Tengwong, who commended the proactive steps put in place by the Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Maj.-Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, expressed confidence that lasting peace would sooon return to all troubled areas in the state.

    He particularly commended the Federal and State Governments for deploying mobile police personnel to communities under frequent attacks.

    He called Plateau residents to be law abiding and support security agencies in their bid toward entrenching lasting peace in the state.

    Mr Alfred Alabo, Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Plateau, did not pick several calls to his line, but a top Police officer confirmed the attack.

  • Plateau Killings: Military Commander relocates base to troubled area

    Plateau Killings: Military Commander relocates base to troubled area

    Maj.-Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, the Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), on Sunday temporarily relocated headquarters of the operation to Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    OPSH is a Special Military Task Force, maintaining peace in Plateau and environs.

    Abubakar, who doubles as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) , 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba, moved to the area barely 24 hours after he assumed command.

    The decision followed a Saturday night attack on Sabon Gari community of Mangu LGA, where 12 persons were killed and six houses completely razed down.

    According to the commander, the move would enable him work in synergy with the local authority to mitigate the situation.

    “’I have relocated the headquarters of OPSH here so we can work with the local authority.

    “We will stay here until we stabilise the situation

    “The governor is disturbed with the happenings, and that is why I am personally here to lead my troops.

    “We won’t allow the situation to deteriorate further. We are not here to joke; and so we will be decisive, fair and firm,” Abubakar said.

    Communities in Mangu have recently come under series of attacks, with many deaths recorded, properties and farmlands destroyed, and many persons currently displaced.

  • Gunmen strike, kill 9 persons, raze 6 houses in Plateau community

    Gunmen strike, kill 9 persons, raze 6 houses in Plateau community

    Gunmen have killed nine persons and burnt down six houses in Sabon Gari community in Mangu Local Government Area of the Plateau.

    Mr Jerry Datim, one of leaders in the community, disclosed this via telephone to NAN on Sunday in Jos.

    Datim, who is the National President of the Global Society for Middle Belt Heritage, said the attack occurred on Saturday night.

    ”Last night, gunmen attacked my village, Sabon Gari in Mangu, burnt six houses and destroyed many other properties.

    ”So far, we have recovered nine dead bodies; we are still searching because some people are still missing,” he said.

    Datim, however, commended personnel of Operation Rainbow, a local security outfit in the state, for responding swiftly to the attack.

    ”I wish to commend men of operation rainbow; their swift response brought the situation under control.

    ”We call on government to support them with necessary logistics for prompt response,” he said.

    Asked if residents had deserted the community, Datim said that they had resolved to remain and defend their ancestral lands.

    Capt. James Oya, the Spokesperson of the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), a Special Military Task Force, confirmed the incident.

    Oya, who didn’t confirm the number of deaths, said that the Commander of the Operation, Maj.-Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, was leading troops to the scene of the attack.

  • Plateau Attacks: Mutfwang directs security agencies to hunt perpetrators

    Plateau Attacks: Mutfwang directs security agencies to hunt perpetrators

    Gov Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau has directed security agencies in the state to fish out perpetrators of attacks on some communities in Mangu Local government.

    The governor’s directive is contained in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr Gyang Bere, on  Friday in Jos.

    He condemned the brutal attacks on the innocent people in Mper of Bwai and Kogul community of Panyam, in Mangu Local Government Area by suspected bandits, and urged the agencies to bring them to face the full wrath of the law.

    He expressed sadness over the continuous attacks on communities in the state and said that the motive for the destruction of  houses and property, worth millions of naira, was unacceptable.

    He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to explore all available legal avenues to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly acts.

    He said that his administration was mapping out strategies to ensure an end to the cycle of attacks and killings in the state and sought the cooperation of security agencies and Plateau people in achieving this goal.

    Mutfwang who sympathised with the communities which had lost their loved ones in the attacks, urged them to take solace in God as there are concerted efforts to end the protracted killings.

    He prayed for the speedy recovery for those injured and restated his determination to prioritise the pursuit of sustainable peace and unity in the state.

  • Plateau APC kicks against Mutfwang’s N15bn loan request

    Plateau APC kicks against Mutfwang’s N15bn loan request

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau has kicked against Gov. Caleb Mutfwang’s request to the State House of Assembly for approval to acquire an N15 billion loan.

    Mutfwang’s communication was read by the assembly  Speaker, Moses Sule, during Thursday’s plenary, which was the first sitting of the 10th Assembly.

    Mutfwang explained that the loan would be used to clear backlog of civil servants salary arrears and acquire farm inputs for farmers.

    The approval was granted by the lawmakers at the plenary.

    But the APC in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr Sylvanus Namang, said that as a critical stakeholder in the Plateau project, they seriously objected to the loan because the governor did not follow due process.

    Namang said that PDP’s two-third majority in the Plateau State House of Assembly was not a licence for recklessness and arbitrariness which if left unchecked, Plateau would be worse for more turbulent days ahead.

    According to him, the reasons advanced for the loan were as unconvincing as they were not tenable.

    “Government is a continuum and the past dispensation had made adequate budgetary provisions for payment of workers’ salaries and very essential products like fertilizers, given the fact that Plateau was largely an agrarian state.

    “This bogus N15 billion loan approval is particularly more worrisome because for a loan to be collected, certain steps are clearly spelt out in the Plateau State Debt Management Law.

    “The steps must be duly and deligently followed before any financial institution,  local or foreign can consider.

    “First, the  State Debt Management Advisory Committee must sit to discuss the purpose and necessity of the loan for the state.

    “Furthermore, Plateau cannot operate as if we are under a military junta where things are done by fiat.

    “For a serious issue as loan acquisition of this magnitude, the  State  Executive Council must approve such loan before forwarding to the House of Assembly for deliberation,” he pointed out.

    He further said that the council’s approval must be transmitted to the House of Assembly for their discussion and approval which cannot be passed as was done at its very first formal sitting as members of the 10th House of Assembly.

    He added that mandatorily, such approvals by the State Executive Council and the House of Assembly would then be forwarded to the ministry of Finance and the debt management department to further process.

    Namang stated that to the best of their knowledge, there was no state executive council as what is on ground is the governor, his deputy and the attorney general and that the debt advisory committee was also not constituted.

  • SAD! Plateau in panic mode as terrorists set eleven villagers ablaze

    SAD! Plateau in panic mode as terrorists set eleven villagers ablaze

    Eleven persons were on Tuesday night burnt to by suspected terrorists who attacked Chisu village in Mangu Local Government of Plateau State.

    A source said the victims ran to a house in the village for safety following sporadic gunshots in the community around 11 pm but the assailants pursued them to the property and set the house on fire leading to their death.

    Confirming the death of the villagers, a resident of Chisu community who escaped the attack, Michael Bulus, said the incident took place on Tuesday night.

    “The terrorists also burnt a church along Mangu-Bokkos Road and other properties before making their escape.”

    He added that the COCIN Regional Church Council Bwai along Mangu Bokkos road in the local government was also burnt by the terrorists along with other houses, vehicles, and tricycles before they fled the community.

    Alabo Alfred, the Plateau State Police Command spokesperson did not pick up his calls when contacted on the incident.

    A source also confirmed that more security operatives had been deployed to the affected community following reports.

  • Gunmen abduct 7 Unijos students

    Gunmen abduct 7 Unijos students

    Yet-to-be-identified gunmen have abducted seven students of the University of Jos.

    DSP Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Police command in the state, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Jos.

    According to Alabo, the students were abducted on Monday night at their hostel located outside the campus

    He explained that the students were whisked away while reading for their second-semester examinations that commenced on Tuesday.

    ”It is true that seven students of the University of Jos were abducted by some criminal elements.

    ”They were picked on Monday at about 8:30 p.m. at their hostel, along Bauchi ring road in Jos North Local Government Area.

    ”The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bartholomew Onyeka, has deployed armed police personnel to arrest the kidnappers and ensure the safe release of the abducted students.

    ”Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), and security agencies have also deployed their personnel for search and rescue operation,” he said.

    Alabo advised students and residents of the area to be calm, insisting that security agencies were working assiduously toward ensuring the safe return of the abducted students.

  • Plateau owing ₦11bn in salary arrears – Muftwang

    Plateau owing ₦11bn in salary arrears – Muftwang

    Gov. Caleb Mutfwtang of Plateau has disclosed that the state government is owing its workers about N11 billion in salary arrears.

    The governor said this at a town hall meeting organised by the Plateau Radio Television Corporation (PRTVC) in Jos on Monday.

    The meeting with the theme: ‘ Unpacking the New Vision’ was organised as part of the activities to mark 2023 Democracy Day in the state.

    “Out of a wage bill of N2.9 billion for February, only N900 million was paid.

    “As of now, I can tell Plateau people without politicking that we are owing salaries up to May to the tune of about ₦11 billion.

    “ What we have inherited in the coffers of Plateau is ₦1.1 billion and therefore we are going to start in a difficult way,“ he said.

    He said that he inherited many challenges from the immediate past administration including a strike by the civil service which he has been able to resolve.

    Muftwang assured residents that the civil service would be re-equipped, re-invigorated, and modernised to perform its duties as the engine room of the state.

    He said the recent suspension of democratic structures in the 17 LGAs of the state was done in good faith following a recommendation by the Plateau State House of Assembly.

    He explained that his administration also suspended the recruitment exercise into the state civil service from Oct.1 2022 till date conducted by his predecessor pending an investigation.

    He said the step would ensure whether the exercise was conducted in line with due process, with a promise that those found to be properly recruited at the end of the investigation would return to their jobs.

    He dismissed as fake news, a story being circulated that he had dissolved the newly established traditional chiefdoms in the state.

    “ We will await advice from the Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Traditional Rulers and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs before we take any step if there is need on such matters, “ he said.

    The governor said that he is currently receiving reports from government agencies to form basis for critical decisions, saying this will enable his administration act in line with public interest and reduce possibility of mistakes.

    He also charged the incoming members of PLHA to be inaugurated on Tuesday to be selfless in the discharge of their duties.

    He also reminded them that many of the state laws are archaic and not fit for the present time, hence they require urgent reviewing.

  • More than 150 killed in one LGA in three weeks – Plateau governor

    More than 150 killed in one LGA in three weeks – Plateau governor

    The Plateau State governor Caleb Mutfwang, has said at least 150 people have been killed in Mangu LGA of the state in the last three weeks.

    Mutfwang disclosed this during an interview with Channels Television yesterday.

    According to the him, four persons were murdered in the LGA on Thursday night.

    Recall that over the past few months, some LGAs in Plateau have witnessed a spate of violent attacks, resulting in fatalities and displacement.

    In May, Solomon Maren, a member of the house of representatives from Plateau, said over 100 people were killed in two days during overnight attacks in his constituency — Mangu/Bokkos.

    Similarly, more than 30 persons were reportedly killed in an attack by gunmen in Bwoi, Mangu.

    Mutfwang said 80 percent of the incidents are “pure genocide”, adding that over 30,000 people have been displaced.

    He noted that reports from the communities indicate that the perpetrators of the violent attacks are “foreign mercenaries”.

    “Last night, four people were killed in Mangu. Conservatively, I will put it that in the last three weeks, we have buried not less than 150 people in Mangu local government,” he said.

    “And as I am talking to you we have no less than 30,000 people scattered in various IDP camps that we are having to deal with now.”

    On his meeting with President Bola Tinubu, the Plateau governor said the president has the “political will” to deal with the security challenges in the state.

    “I had the privilege and honour to have a meeting with Mr President at very short notice. The meeting centred around the challenges of security in the Plateau and I found Mr President full of listening ears and determination to deal with the issues. I think it is going to be a welcome change.”

    “The response of Mr President is reassuring and his understanding of the problem was quite comforting. Certainly, Mr President is showing that he has a political will to deal with the issues.”