Police threaten to arrest monarchs over Plateau attacks

Police threaten to arrest monarchs over
Plateau attacks
on november 27, 2013 at 5:38 pm in news
Jos -  The Plateau 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 News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
leaders from the Muslim and Christian sides also
pledged to give the police the necessary support.
NAN reports that 40 people recently lost their lives
in multiple attacks by unknown gunmen in Barkin
Ladi Local Government Area of the state. (NAN)