Tinubu Demands Justice For Travellers Lynched In Plateau
President Bola Tinubu has condemned the killing of travellers in Plateau State and urged security forces to ensure the arrest and punishment of the culprits.
Reacting to the news of the murder of 12 wedding guests, including the father and brother of the groom, the president described the heinous action as unacceptable and barbaric.
The victims, many of them injured, were travelling from Zaria, in Kaduna State, to Jos, in Plateau State.
Tinubu directed the police to work with other security and intelligence agencies to ensure those responsible for the attack are held accountable.
“The Government of Plateau State must take decisive action in handling these vicious cycles of violence. The state government must work with security agents to get to the root of this recent incident and use it as a deterrent against future occurrences.
“Freedom of movement by all citizens is non-negotiable. We will not tolerate any attempt by anyone or group of people to curtail that fundamental freedom through acts of extreme violence and fear,” he said.
Earlier, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State bemoaned the incident which took place in Mangun community of Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state by suspected hoodlums.
The governor, who called for calm, said this when he visited the scene of the incident on Saturday.
“I have reached out to my brother, Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State and the Emir of Zazzau; I have briefed them on this unfortunate incident.
“This is not something that we are happy with; this is not an occurrence that we will condone.
“So, we condemn it in all totality, and we have made a pledge that any act of criminality would not be tolerated.
“I therefore want to use this medium again to call upon the youth of Plateau, that it is time to be very sensible.
“It is time to be wise. If you find strangers in your midst, call for interrogation to avoid a case of mistaken identity and not take laws into your hands,” he said.
The governor, who had visited the injured admitted at the Mangu General Hospital, promised to foot the bills of their treatment.
“I want to assure Nigerians that the Plateau will continue to be home to everybody, irrespective of ethnicity and religious beliefs,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Emmanuel Adesina, the Commissioner of Police in the state, confirmed the number of deaths recorded during the incident.
“Seven persons died on the spot, but this morning, one among the injured also died in the hospital.
“This brings the number of those who died to eight,”he said.
Adesina, however, said that it had arrested 22 suspects in connection with the incident.
He added that his men were also searching the community to fish other persons suspected to be involved in the mob action.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State described the attack as an act of savagery in a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday in Kaduna.
The governor also called for an urgent action by security agencies, urging, “we must put a stop to the nefarious activities of non-state actors.
“There is no justification for anybody to attack any citizen of Nigeria in any part of the country. This madness must stop. Enough is enough.”
Sani urged the Governor Mutfwang to take full charge of the situation and ensure that the security agencies act decisively in bringing the perpetrators to book.
“I will personally follow up on the progress made in the investigations and field operations in search of the criminals.
“We must send a clear signal that impunity will no longer be tolerated,” he added.
The governor also extended condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Tinubu Demands Justice For Travellers Lynched In Plateau is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
