Plateau killings: Plateau villages still under siege

THERE are strong indications that villages in Barakin-Ladi local government area of Plateau State attacked by gunmen suspected to Fulani herdsmen over the weekend are still under siege, as most survivors of the unfortunate incident stranded in the villages are yet to be evacuated to the headquarters of the local government.

Even as the Plateau State Commissioner Mr Jeremiah Adie Udeie has been removed and replaced by the Commissioner of Police Bala Ciroma.

The removal of Udeie is coming barely two days after he released a figure that 86 people were killed in the attack.

Speaking with Tribune Online Plateau State House of Assembly representing Barakin-Ladi constituency, Hon Peter Gyendeng, said they wished the of people of the affected villages was to give their dead ones a befitting burial but the security insisted that they must be buried in the villages where the incident occurred.

“There are burial rites which need to be followed before any dead bodies could be buried but that was not done.

The security agencies insisted that they must be buried where the incident occurred.

For this reason, we are not allowed to bring out our loved ones who were killed in the attack for befitting burial.

“All the affected villages are still under siege as at the time I am talking to you, the survivors and some of those who sustained injuries are stranded, they want to come out.

We are appealing to the security agencies to help us bring them out, some need treatment and there might be epidemic “he said.

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When contacted the State Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Tyopev Mathias Terna said he was not aware that security agencies in the state were given order not to allow people to access affected villages.

Meanwhile, a new Commissioner of Police CP Bala Ciroma has assumed duty as the commissioner of police plateau state command following removal of the Mr Jeremiah Adie Udeie who has been deployed to the force headquarters in Abuja.

According to a statement signed by the state Police Public Relation Officer DSP Tyopev Mathias Terna, before he took over as the Commissioner of Police Plateau state Ciroma was the deputy commissioner of police criminal investigation and intelligence department CIID FCT Abuja and was one time the Head of Operation Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Abuja and had worked in virtually all the six geo-political zones of the country and in all the department in the Nigeria Police Force.

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The redeployment of the Jeremiah Adie Udeie is coming barely two days after he released a figure that eighty-sixes people were killed in the attack in Barakin Ladi local government area of the state.