Plateau LG tussle: Police reopen secretariats for chairmen

The Plateau State Police Command on Saturday unsealed all the 17 local government secretariats for suspended chairmen and their counsellors.

The reinstated LG chairmen who were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were suspended by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, for alleged misappropriation of funds, an allegation that the embattled chairmen denied.

Governor Mutfwang had, following the suspension of the elected chairmen, appointed new caretaker chairmen to be in charge of the secretariats, a development that led the embattled chairmen to drag the governor to court.

The spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, in a statement on Saturday said only the elected chairmen were allowed to enter offices at the secretariats.

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The statement read, “Following the unseal of the 17 Local Government Secretariats in Plateau State on 14th August, 2023 by the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Okoro Julius Alawari, psc after diligent assessment of the security situation in the state and intensive consultation with the Police High Command to enable workers carry out their statutory duties and since then, the state has been relatively peaceful.

“The Plateau State Police Chief thanks the good people of Plateau, political actors and political parties in the state for upholding the fair decision of the police hierarchy in the interest of peace.

“As parts of efforts to ensure the effective running of the 17 Local Government Secretariats in the state, the Police High Command has critically reviewed the matter and has directed the Plateau State Commissioner Police to unseal all the offices of the Local Government Council Chairmen and that of the Councillors to enable all the elected Council Chairmen and Councillors go into their various offices and administrate without any hindrance, pending the outcome of their case in court.

“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, has directed all Area Commanders and their Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) under his Command to immediately unseal the offices of the 17 Local Government Chairmen across the state and allow the democratically elected Chairmen have access to their offices and resume work on Monday, 28th August, 2023.

“In view of the new development, all political parties, parents/guardians, religious and traditional rulers are advised to warn their supporters, wards and congregants against any form of jubilating and inciting demonstrations that could trigger the breach of peace, law, and order in and around the Local Government Areas of the State.”

The police however warned criminals and mischief makers to desist from making confusion or fomenting trouble in the state as the command wouldn’t take it lightly with them.