Troubled Plateau communities now safe – Mutfwang

The Governor of Plateau State, Barr Caleb Mutfwang has said several communities in the state that had suffered violent conflicts are now safe with the presence of military officers in those areas.

In the last three months, several communities in four local government areas of the state had witnessed a series of attacks and counter attacks mostly between farming communities and pastoralists leading to loss of more than 200 lives and properties worth millions of naira.

Speaking while receiving Major General A.E. Abubakar, the commander, Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH) on a courtesy visit to Government House in Jos, the governor applauded the military for its swift intervention in the crises in Mangu Local Government Area and environs. 

Mutfwang disclosed that the Commander OPSH has demonstrated a high sense of commitment and passion for peace and security of the people by relocating the headquarters of OPSH to Mangu in the heat of the unrest.

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He said the state government has started seeing positive moves by the military to arrest the ugly situation as the people now feel safe and secured. 

The governor noted the necessity of applying kinetic measures where non-kinetic approach seemed ineffective, assuring that his administration will team up with the military against the enemies of the state. 

Major General A.E Abubakar said national security must be prioritised in the interest of peace, unity and development of the country.

He reiterated that the military was committed to both kinetic and non-kinetic measures alongside government support to finding lasting solutions to security issues in the state. 

General Abubakar said he relocated the headquarters OPSH to Mangu to enable him access the situation with a view to implementing strategies to combat the problem.

He also noted the deployment of additional critical combat enablers approved by the Chief of Army Staff to facilitate troops’ operations in difficult terrains. He assured of the commitment of the Nigerian Army to quickly restore normalcy to all troubled regions in the Plateau.