Plateau won’t play politics with human lives – Lalong

Gyang Bere, Jos

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau Stat has said his administration would not play politics with human lives as killing of villagers continued unabated in Miango and Jol communities of Bassa and Riyom Local Government Areas of the state.

He said the state government was deeply pain with the insecurity, but assured that frantic efforts were being made by federal and state governments to end the killings.

Governor Lalong, in a press statement, by Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Yakubu Dati, said government holds every single live as sacred and cannot play politics with human lives.

“Plateau State Government hereby commiserates with citizens of the state especially Miango and Jol communities over the recent attacks. Government holds every single live as sacred hence cannot play politics with the lives of the very people that voted it into power.

“While government is saddened by these attacks, i wish to reiterate that the government is not resting on its oars to find lasting solutions to these attacks. We will never leave our citizens at the mercy of these attackers no matter the situation because it is our constitutional duty to ensure the safety of lives and well being of the people.”

The governor also expressed displeasure over attitude of some individuals who, he said, were scoring cheap political points and sowing seeds of discord among the people despites government effort in providing security of lives and property.

The statement continued, “It has come to our notice that some people are bend on scoring very cheap political points and sowing seeds of discord among the peace loving people by attributing the current security challenges especially the recent attacks to what they feel as action or inaction of the government. Any attempt to portray this government in bad light remains an exercise in futility.

“Government wish to remind those who have turned themselves into enemies of Plateau that the current state of insecurity is not limited to Plateau as being insinuated by some merchants of death, who despite the relative peace being enjoyed in the state, feel that government is not doing anything to arrest the situation.”

Lalong said governors in the country do not have absolute control of security apparatuses in their respective states, but said that would not distract his administration from moving ahead with the various strategies being put in place to ensure the security of all communities.

“As a government, we are committed to ensuring a safe and secured environment that will guarantee peaceful coexistence among the various groups in the state as we remained resolute to the well being of our people.

“We reassure the people of Plateau state of our commitment towards making the state a safe haven, we wish to state that while government welcomes constrictive criticisms from citizens, we will not fold our hands and allow spent horses to us back to the dark days of violence,” the statement said.