Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, on Friday said government will deal with perpetrators of communal clashes in some communities in Bassa local government area of the state which had led to loss of lives and razing of houses in recent times.
Bello, in a broadcast to people of the state ahead of tomorrow’s election, warned that government would not condone “senseless and perennial” communal conflicts in communities of Bassa LGA despite all moves by the government to ensure the people live in peace.
“The people of Sheria and Oguma communities in particular must understand that we are now living in the 21st Century and there are legal ways of settling ethnic disputes over anything, including farmlands and fishing grounds.
“Government has mediated and done everything to resolve these conflicts in the past. However, the senseless bloodletting which happened overnight yesterday simply tells us that the attackers are not ready to listen to reason.
“Let it be known as of today therefore that our patience with these killings and burning of settlements is over. Enough is enough. We shall deal decisively with this matter henceforth.
“If people will not live together in peace, we have a duty as Government to enforce the peace and stop them from disturbing those who want to.
“I hereby direct our security agencies to spare no resources in hunting down and arresting the culprits in these recent attacks. We are going to try them for murder and request for the maximum penalty since they have no qualms taking human lives.
“In pursuit of long-term solutions, we are also considering the imposition of certain executive orders in the overriding public interest which are designed to finally abate this intolerable nuisance.
“In the days ahead, I assure Kogites that we will so trouble those who trouble our peace in this atrocious manner that they will find themselves so occupied with too much troubles of their own to plot or execute further mischief”, the governor warned.
On tomorrow’s state assembly election, the governor assured that adequate security arrangement have been made and therefore urged the people to come out and vote without fear of molestation.
The governor, who condemned the pockets of violence witnessed in some parts of the state during the presidential and national assembly elections, said the police and other security agencies have been placed on red alert to avoid a repeat of such unfortunate occurrence in tomorrow’s election.
He urged politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the forthcoming election.
He warned that those that violate the electoral laws would face the consequences.
