The House of Representatives on Saturday, December 30, urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to immediately conduct a detailed investigation into the Christmas Eve attack in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu local government areas and other parts of Plateau state, with a view to identifying the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
The House urged the Minister of Defense to initiate a coordinated Joint Security Operation within these Local Government Areas and adjoining towns located in Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Nasarawa States to flush out the criminals and bandits and prevent them from escaping to other States.
The House also urged the Chief of Air Staff in collaboration with the Chief of Army Staff to provide aerial surveillance and support to flush out criminal hideouts and camps.
It urged the Department of State Services and Directorate of Military intelligence to gather intelligence information on the influx, camping and operations of criminal groups within Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and other volatile Local Government Areas and adjoining towns and share same with other sister security agencies.
The House also urged the Chief of Army Staff to establish Military presence/bases in the said local government areas and other volatile areas of Plateau state.
The House Committee on Police, Defense, Army and National Intelligence, were mandated to investigate the root cause of these incessant killings with a view to providing lasting solutions.
The House set up a delegation to visit the scenes of the killings in order to condole with families of victims and the government and people of Plateau State.
It directed the Committees on NEMA, Defense, Army, Air force, Police and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance and furnish the House with a monthly report until the security situation is resolved.
It also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately assess the extent of damage and displacement in attacked communities within the said Local Government Areas with a view to providing necessary relief materials.
The House observed a one-minute silence in respect of the soul of all those killed in the recent attack.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent importance to condemn and investigate the attack moved by Hon Idris Wase.
The motion reads: “THE HOUSE NOTES: that on the 24th of December at 2200hrs, the following twelve (12) villages in Bokkos LGA were attacked; Ndun, Ngyong, Murfet, Makundary, Tamiso, Chiang, Tahore, Gawarba, Dares, Meyenga, Darwat and Butura Kampani village according to preliminary police report.
FURTHER NOTE: that Similarly on 24th December 2023 at about 2245hrs, three (3) villages in Barkin-Ladi LGA namely, NTV, Hurum and Darawat were also attacked.
“INFORMED: that Findings from the assessment of the ugly incidents in Bokkos LGA revealed that the total number of villages attacked is Twelve (12), Two Hundred and twenty-one (221) houses were set ablaze, Twenty- seven (27) motorcycles were burnt, eight (8) motor-vehicles were burnt down and over Seventy -nine (79) persons were killed. while Seventeen deaths were recorded in Barkin-ladi LGA.
“FURTHER INFORMED: That the death toll from the various attacks at Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs of Plateau State has surpassed over 200 as at 29th December 2023 with many others seriously injured according to several news sources.
“AWARE: that chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) particularly Section 14(2) (b) provides thus:
“It is hereby accordingly declared that: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”.
“FURTHER AWARE: that up until this moment, security agencies are yet to identify the perpetrators of these heinous attacks that has claimed hundreds of lives of innocent citizens and destroyed properties worth millions.
“WORRIED: That, if these dastardly attacks are left unchecked, they will escalate with time and worsen the already volatile security situation on the Plateau.
“FURTHER WORRIED: that further escalation in these killings may lead to a conflagration in the whole of the Northcentral zone which may spill unto other Geopolitical Zones in the country.”
