 |
| File picture of gunmen |
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has revealed that the gunmen responsible for the recent killings in Jos gained entry into the community by posing as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency before unleashing violence.
The attack, which took place in Angwan Rukuba area of Jos North Local Government Area on Sunday, claimed the lives of at least 28 people, while several others sustained injuries, with security agencies yet to make any arrests.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier visited Plateau on Thursday to condole with victims and community leaders, where he also instructed security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Mutfwang explained that the assailants capitalised on residents’ familiarity with NDLEA operations to deceive them.
“Obviously, the attackers have studied the psychology of the people who are used to seeing operatives of the NDLEA who come to raid neighbouring communities in search of drug addicts and what have you.
“So, they came in that manner, hooded, and were shooting in the manner NDLEA officers used to shoot. So people took it for granted that it was an NDLEA incursion… and they didn’t resist it initially.
“But when they realised it, a lot of damage had been done. And before they could wake up to begin to pursue these attackers, they had escaped. It’s quite unfortunate,” he said.
The governor stated that although no suspect had been apprehended, security operatives were acting on credible intelligence to track those behind the attack.
“At the moment, no arrests have been made in regard to this particular attack. But I’d like to assure Plateau people and Nigerians that we have some actionable intelligence that the security agencies are following up on,” he added.
Mutfwang described the assault as deliberate and professionally executed, noting that the attackers exhibited precision in their shooting, while adding that the incident caught both residents and security personnel unprepared due to the prevailing calm in the state.
He appealed to residents to maintain peace and avoid retaliatory actions, warning that the attackers’ intention was to plunge the state into chaos and disrupt ongoing peace-building efforts.
The governor assured that those responsible would face prosecution once arrested, insisting that his administration would not allow the matter to be swept aside.
He further disclosed that a suspected instigator had earlier been arrested for allegedly spreading inciting content online prior to the incident, adding that prosecution would commence after the Easter break as part of moves to clamp down on individuals fueling unrest.
0 Comments