Gov Lalong orders arrest of Fulani leaders over killings in Plateau

By Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos 

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has ordered the arrest of Fulani leaders over killings by herdsmen in the state. The governor, expressing infuriation over the recurrent killings in Bokkos and Mangu local government areas of the State within two weeks, ordered the arrest of all Fulani leaders, community and village heads of the affected communities and make them produce the perpetrators of the violent upheavals. The governor declared that he has changed and, perhaps, prepared to defend his people.

Lalong at a stakeholders meeting with Village Heads, Security Chiefs, Clergymen and Community leaders at the Government House, Jos, on Tuesday, declared: “I have changed, it is no longer business as usual, people cannot continue to die and we do nothing about it. Arrest all Ardos-Fulani leaders, community heads until they produce the killers.

“All community leaders should be in cell. Arrest them now, nobody is above the law. If they don’t produce the killers, keep them in cell. Nobody has immunity except me and the Deputy Governor. This is my charge today, that all Ardos in the affected communities must be in cell.”

It would be recalled that last Sunday, unknown gunmen suspected to be Fulani bandits attacked Bokkos community of Kwatas, at about 9.00pm and killed over 13 persons.

The attack came few weeks after gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen killed 12 people in neighboring Kulben village in Mangu local government area of the State.