Bokkos attacks: Senator Plang expresses concern, calls for intervention

Worried by the spate of attacks by bandits in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, and Senator representing Plateau Central Senatorial District, Senator Diket Plang, has expressed concern about the elements’ activities and called for immediate intervention to arrest the situation.

Recall that parts of the council area, including communities and villages in Mushere chiefdom, have recently been subjected to violent attacks that have resulted in the deaths of innocent people, the devastation of farmlands and the burning of houses, displacing indigenous people.

The Senator, in a statement, strongly condemned the heinous act which has since become a frequent occurrence and is wreaking havoc on the peace-loving people of the local government area, noting that thousands of the survivors of those attacks have been forced to flee their communities for safety.

According to him, the coordinated attacks were carried out by a foreign armed group working with local accomplices under the cover of land grabs.

“It is evidently clear that the perpetrators of this heinous crime with dark objectives are trying to chase the people out of their ancestral homes for possible occupation, which has happened in parts of the local government and other parts of the state.

“These elements have been on the prowl since April of this year, starting in Bokkos and spreading to other parts of the Plateau Central Senatorial District. Unfortunately, despite my interactions with other groups and individuals with necessary government institutions, the attacks have not abated,” he said.

While acknowledging the security agencies’ efforts thus far, Senator Plang charged them with expanding their dragnet and taking coordinated and robust action against criminal elements to ensure that they do not establish a foothold in any community or village within the senatorial zone and beyond.

He further called for strong collaboration among community leaders, vigilante groups and members of various communities, as well as active support from security agencies, to address security concerns that threaten people’s daily lives.

The Senator who chairs the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity therefore recommended that a good road network be built immediately to facilitate easy access for both troops and mostly farmer civilian residents of Mushere.

He also advocated for border patrol and the establishment of permanent military outposts in all strategic locations to enhance safety and allow displaced residents to return home.

Senator Plang promised to use all legislative and diplomatic means within his reach to ensure the safety of his constituents and support law enforcement in their quest to bring peace to the entire Plateau Central senatorial zone.

“I therefore sympathise with the people of Mushere chiefdom, Bokkos leadership and the government of Plateau State in the face of the current circumstances. And call on the National Emergency Management Agency, Red Cross and all related organisations to address the mounting humanitarian issues caused by these security challenges,” he said.

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