The Inspector General Of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew N. Onyeka, to seal up all the 17 Local Government Secretariats of the State.
Recall that the 17 local government chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) were suspended by Governor Caleb Muftwang on the ground of financial impropriety and other misdemeanors on the recommendation of the State House of Assembly recently.
The Governor last week therefore appointed Management Transition Chairmen (MTC) for the 17 council areas while the suspended Chairmen prior to the appointments of MTC claimed there was a subsisting injunction from the High Court restraining the State Government from tampering with their tenure.
This, however, led to fracas in some of the local government secretariats on Wednesday as both the MTC and suspended chairmen, along with their supporters, engaged themselves over who controls secretariats.
However, the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, in a statement on Thursday, said the order of the Inspector General has become necessary as a result of tensions around the leadership of the Local Government Areas, and the possible threat that supporters and Local Government Chairmen are posing to critical infrastructure, lives and properties in the State.
“The decision to take this action is in accordance with the exercise of our constitutional responsibility as the Nigeria Police Force, to ensure that the above doesn’t hold sway on the Plateau.*
“To this end, the Nigeria Police Force on the Plateau cannot sit down and watch things go wrong under our watch, hence the need to make this critical decision of sealing up the Local Government secretariats”
The command therefore warned that it will not take it lightly anyone who tries to disrupt this process or causes any confusion around the Local Government Secretariats, adding that it will ensure that the law takes it’s full course on such persons.
The State Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka commended the good people of Plateau State for their continued understanding and urged everyone to go about their lawful businesses as everyone
give peace a chance on the Plateau.