The Plateau State Government has strongly condemned the military's failure to protect communities under persistent bandit attacks and is now calling for the deployment of mobile police personnel to replace military forces in affected areas.
This demand follows recent deadly attacks in Riyom Local Government Area where 27 people were killed by bandits, despite the presence of military checkpoints near the attack locations.
During his visit to the affected communities on Wednesday, Governor Caleb Mutfwang expressed frustration over security personnel's inability to apprehend the perpetrators, noting that a military checkpoint was located just meters away from where the attacks occurred.
Professor Chris Kwaja, Special Envoy on Peace and Security to the Governor, issued a statement on Saturday highlighting that the continued military presence has failed to yield positive results as attacks and killings of innocent civilians persist.
"During the Tuesday night attack, the security forces, especially the Operation Safe Haven, a security tasks force maintaining peace in the state, failed to foil the attack despite their presence in the area," Kwaja stated.
He emphasized that the attack was preventable, given the early warning signs and intelligence reports available to security forces.
The state government is now urging the Federal Government to prioritize withdrawing all military personnel from flashpoints and replace them with Mobile Police Squads, believing this change in security approach is necessary to ensure more effective protection of vulnerable communities.
This development comes amid increasing tensions in Plateau State, where communities have suffered repeated attacks despite significant security deployments in the region.
The state government's unusual request for military withdrawal signals a significant shift in its security strategy and reflects growing frustration with the current security arrangement's effectiveness in protecting citizens.
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