Plateau: Governor Calls on Protesters for Dialogue on the Way Forward.
Akudiang Comfort Pius, Jos.
Governor of Plateau State, Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has appealed to the citizens of his state to stay further protests to give room for dialogue with their leaders to add value to their thinking and plans for poverty alleviation since no one possesses a monopoly of wisdom.
Mutfwang, in a radio and television broadcast to the people of his state, said that as soon as the protests are over, “we shall meet with the leaders of the youth groups across the state for further dialogue.
He called on the citizens of the state to realise that the more they continue with the protests, the greater the likelihood of being hijacked by sponsored criminals and hoodlums, as the state began to notice on Sunday evening.
“Based on the intelligence at our disposal, we know the lawful protests have been infiltrated by criminals who were waiting for an opportunity to loot shops, attack, and rob innocent citizens of their hard-earned belongings.””
. “We even saw the display of foreign flags by some of these criminally minded intruders. So as a responsible government, we had to take proactive steps to prevent further acts of criminality; thus, the 24-hour curfew we imposed on Jos-Bukuru metropolis starting from Sunday midnight.'”
He said the resistance by hoodlums in some parts of the Jos North area from Monday morning until late afternoon proves that his administration’s action of imposing the curfew is justified.
According to him, credible sources have revealed that because of the peace that Plateau is enjoying, merchants of violence invited hoodlums from neighbouring states to disrupt the peace in Jos.
“Let me particularly appreciate our traditional, community, and religious leaders, as well as civil society organisations who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to assuage the justifiable anger and frustrations of the protesters. We urge you not to rest on your oars until normalcy is restored so that we can take more reassuring steps in the right direction. I also extend my gratitude to those observing the curfew and assure you that it will be reviewed as soon as the security situation permits.”
He thanked the security agencies for their dedication, professionalism, and emotional intelligence in handling the situation.
He added that his administration will not tolerate actions that disrupt our peace and security and urged all individuals and groups planning to cause unrest to reconsider their actions, as the security agencies are on high alert to address any such threats decisively.
He appealed for continued patience, peace, and lawfulness while the government addresses your concerns.
“Let us remain united in our efforts to build a prosperous and secure state.” Mutfwang stressed.
