How Governor Lalong Narrowly Escaped Death, As IDPs Pelted His Convoy With Stones

Yakubu Busari

The Plateau State Governor’s Simon Lalong convoy was on Saturday attacked by internally displaced persons (IDPs,) at Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State at their Camp in Jos.

The incident occurred when he visited one of the IDPs at Zawan to commiserate with them and give them relief materials, however during this period as the started complaining bitterly that the people trust was no longer in the Governor adding that he has refused to visit them during the ugly incident.

Angry women and Youths turned violently immediately as soon as the Governor was about to leave, they mob started throwing stones at the governor’s car and the vehicles of his entourage which include that of his Deputy, Prof.  Sonni Tyoden.

The Windscreen of many cars was smashed but the governor escaped unhurt as stones could not penetrate his bullet proof car.

As learnt, when Governor Lalong arrived at the IDP camp,   the displaced persons started murmuring: ‘We don’t want relief materials; we want to go back to our ancestral homes’.

Lalong in an address before the stoned him ,assured the people that the State Government would do what it could to address challenges being faced by the Internally Displaced Persons

The governor said he visited to the IDP camp to see for himself the condition of the displaced persons and ensure that they received the relief materials released by government.

He urged them to be patient as government was working hard to ensure that their security is guaranteed before they are relocated to their homes.

Governor Lalong who said government will hunt and arrest their attackers, reiterated that he would not allow their ancestral land to be grabbed.

Earlier, a representative of the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Mr. Eugene Nyelong commended government and other people who have been supportive of the IDPs.

He appealed to relevant ministries and agencies to give more attention to the camps, especially in the area of hygiene.

Mr Francis Chong, the Camp Coordinator, urged the governor to stand by his word of protecting their land from being grabbed by the invaders.

[socialpoll id=”2504707″]