Policemen take over troubled areas in Plateau

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Mr Bartholomew Onyenka, the Commissioner of Police in Plateau State, has deployed Mobile Police troops to troublesome villages as part of attempts to restore sanity to the North-Central state.

Alfred Alabo, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, said this in a statement issued on Saturday in Jos.

Alabo quoted the commissioner as charging the personnel to fish out those behind the killings in some communities and restore lasting peace to the affected areas.

The PRO added that Onyenka, however, warned them to be professional as anyone caught wanting would not be spared.

Meanwhile, at least, eight people have been killed in a fresh attack by gunmen in Plateau State.

It was learnt that the incident occurred on Friday night in Rawuru community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.

A youth leader in the community, Solomon Dalyop confirmed the killings in Jos on Saturday.

Dalyop said, “So far, we have confirmed that eight persons were killed during the attack last night in Rawuru community in Barkin LGA. What we don’t understand is that before the attack took place, some soldiers came to the village in the afternoon. We also saw them in the night.

“And yet, the villagers were attacked leading to the killing of the victims who were in their homes. How come the assailants will carry out the attacks successfully without being apprehended by the soldiers and the security agents who are also within the community?”

Another community leader and president Global Society for Middle Belt Heritage, Jerry Datim, who described the attacks as one too many, called for a thorough investigation into the activities of the personnel of the Military Taskforce deployed to maintain peace in Plateau communities.

He noted that a total of 276 persons had been killed in different communities in the past one month following the persistent attacks with over 30,000 displaced,” Datim added.