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THISDAYonline
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Plateau Crisis
We Won't Use Excessive Force - Alli
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Casualties figure from fresh attack now 19
By Ndubuisi Francis in Lagos and Funmi Peter-Omale in Jos
Sole Administrator of Plateau State, Maj-Gen Chris Alli (rtd) has affirmed that the situation in
the state was sensitive and would not warrant excessive use of force. He also confirmed that Tuesday's violence
which led to the death of five people was masterminded by rampaging militants from Nasarawa State.
Also, casualty figures from the Tuesday fresh out break of hostility in Sabon Gida, Qua'an Pan local government
area of the state may have increased.
Alli who spoke with newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos while returning to Jos yesterday said officials
from Plateau State have gone to Nasarawa to dialogue with the government of that state on how to put an end to
such attacks.
He added that Plateau State emissaries to Nasarawa were also to liaise with the police at the border areas to arrest
the situation.
Alli said what was needed in the Plateau crisis was to restore order, adding that the presence of security forces
in the state would calm tempers.
He added that the appeal being made was for people to embrace peace and stability since at this point, the use
of excessive force would be counter-productive.
"First and foremost, you want to establish order there and the presence of security forces would lower tempers.
Then, we will start talking to people and appealing for peace and stability. But we don't want to, at this point,
use excessive force", he said.
He attributed Tuesday's resurgence of killings to "the usual banditry incursions from Nasarawa State."
"We have been aware of this since the day the state of emergency was announced," he said.
"It happened about two days ago. The police is taking stern measures to contain it. But as soon as we can
move people around, they will try and contain it. I think officials of Plateau State government have already gone
to Nasarawa to talk to the government there and connect with the police on the border areas. It is just border
areas", Alli added.
The latest attacks in Sabon Gida Village in Qua'an Pan Local Government Tuesday which left five people dead occurred
on the day President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a state of emergency in the state.
However, Alli on arrival in Jos admonished the people of the state to imbibe the spirit of tolerance and forgiveness.
He said the challenge before all and sundry is for the suspension to be lifted.
At a meeting with erstwhile state commissioners in Government House yesterday, he said, "the challenges before
all is to see that the suspension is lifted. If in three months, we are able to resolve the issues so be it. Let
me add here that force is not the solution to the problem on ground."
He urged the people to "take a breath and evaluate ways of nipping the protracted crises in the state in the
bud" and noted that no meaningful development can take place when there is conflict.
"What is at stake is not the office of the sole administrator but the lives of the citizens of the state being
wasted in violence. Until violence stops suspension will remain in place. So we should all be challenged to see
that the suspension is lifted," he said.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Patrick Dakum, who responded on behalf of his colleagues noted that God has a purpose
for all that has happened to the state.
"Our collective prayer for you is wisdom to carry out your assignment, strength and that God provides the
resources to bring peace to the state," he said.
Thereafter, the sole administrator went into closed door meeting with the commissioners and traditional rulers.
However, series of meeting have been scheduled to take place between Alli and various interest groups including
labour, women, youth, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Permanent Secretaries and so on. The meetings are to
be rounded-off on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the hostility that broke out in Sabon-Gida, has spread to other areas with casualty figure rising from
five to 19 yesterday.
Tuesday attack which was carried out by suspected insurgents against the natives claimed five lives while about
30 houses were razed.
The militants who allegedly stormed Sabon-Gida extended the attack to Barkin Ayawa and Kurgwi villages.
State Police Commissioner, Mr Innocent Ilozuoke and his Assistant Commissioner, Sotonye Wakama, said they can not
confirm the incident since they have not received reports from the affected areas.
But the police later announced that five armed suspected militia youth were yesterday morning arrested. Parading
the suspects to newsmen, Wakama stated that the five youths were arrested at Kanke junction (Central Plateau) with
an AK 47 rifle, 93 rounds of mm ammunition and two cutlasses.
"They confessed they were going to Tambulung, also in Kanke for cow theft. However, we are yet to determine
how they came about the firearms," he said.
Wakama disclosed that investigations are still going on to ascertain the source of the weapons and the motive of
the suspects.
Efforts to speak with the arrested persons proved abortive as they could not communicate in English.
The five suspects who
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