The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Friday visited Plateau State following attacks on 25 communities by gunmen on Christmas Eve, which left over 150 persons dead.
However, the visit did little to reassure residents of the affected communities and neighbouring communities, who deserted the areas for fear of further attacks.
The IG, who expressed shock over the killings, said he had ordered the commencement of a special operation to stem the tide of attacks and killings in the state.
Egbetokun, who visited Governor Caleb Mutfwang in his office in Jos, also disclosed that the Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 4, Haladu Musa, had been directed to temporarily relocate his office to Plateau State to ensure an effective operation.
He said, “We have commenced a special operation in this state, and I have directed the DIG in charge of Zone 4 to relocate to Plateau.
“We are committed to ending this circle of violence in Plateau, and we call on communities not to be collaborators in this evil act.
“Citizens should rather cooperate with the police and other security agencies so that we can deal with these criminals once and for all.
“President Bola Tinubu has ordered that the perpetrators of this heinous act be fished out and face the full wrath of the law. I commiserate with the people of Plateau and assure you of the full support of the police in tackling this menace.
“The President has also directed the police to work closely with the military to solve problems in the communities. I appeal to the people of Plateau to join in the fight against these criminal acts and not against a particular tribe or religion.
“Plateau citizens should cooperate with security personnel; criminals have declared war on citizens so we need to join forces to fight the war against criminals. This war should not be seen as a war against a particular tribe, but against criminals.”
The governor commended the IG and his men for their efforts in tackling insecurity but called for improved intelligence sharing among security agencies.
Mutfwang said, “Nigerians trust you and expect so much from you to change the narrative of policing in the country. We are happy to receive you and your team; the last couple of days have been very traumatic.
“In the pursuit of criminals, some overzealous security agents turn victims into suspects. This could be very traumatising to communities. If we share intelligence adequately, it will help the situation.
“This is not about ethnic profiling; let’s demonstrate to Nigerians that this monster can be tamed and don’t just go after the perpetrators, their sponsors too should be unmasked to bring the problems to a closure.”
The IG later visited the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba, and proceeded to Bokkos to meet with the survivors of the attacks.
