Plateau Police Commissioner Commends Hunters, And Vigilante For Their Contribution In Crime Fighting
Yakubu Busari
The Plateau state police command, CP Bartholomew Onyeka has admonished the Chairmen of the 17 Local Governments to make provision for monthly stipends for the vigilante group and Hunter group to engage them towards improving the security networks to reduce crime and criminality in the society.
He held an interface with the 17 council chairmen in the state to look at the modalities of addressing farmers-herders clashes as farming activities kick-started, he explained that the introduction of the stakeholders meeting was to curtail insecurity and crime.
Speaking to Local Government chairmen and Divisional Police officers (DPOs) at the police officers’ Mess in Jos, Monday, the commissioner of police Plateau state command, CP Bartholomew Onyeka said the meeting is very key especially now that farming season is around the corner, saying Plateau state is safe by debunking insinuation that Corps members deployed to the state don’t want to come due fear of the unknown.
He said ever since the assumption of duty in the state as police commissioner about one year five months now, the command in line with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) directive has introduced a social and security committee to curb farmers herders’ clashes.
“I called this meeting for us to work together as a team especially now that farming season kick starting in earnest.
“It is your responsibility as a chief security officer of your various Locality to help the police and other security outfits in your domain. Through your collaboration, we can move a mountain that cannot be moved.
“We will not rest in our oars as far as community policing is concerned. Therefore, keep furnishing us with tangible information to end crime and criminality in the state.
The chairman of Shendam LGA, Hon.Alex Naantuam who also double as ALGON chairman in the state applauded the CP for a well-thought initiative aimed at ensuring a crime-free society.
Naantuam believed that the interface is another avenue created for the local government administrators to come together and cross-breed ideas as each local government had its own peculiarity.
Recall some communities in Plateau have witnessed incessant killings as a result of attacks by gunmen, the situation that prompted protests from community members as they called for the removal of the personnel of Operation Safe HAVEN (OPSH), and to be replaced by the Mobile Police.
Also, the coalition of Plateau youths raised alarm over coordinated attacks to be perpetrated by enemies of the state in Riyom, Bokkos, Bassa, Barkin Ladi, and Jos South Local Governments, arming at disrupting farming activities and destroying the economy of the state, calling on the Plateau state government to take proactive measures to avert further killings.
