As part of the efforts to promote peace in Plateau State, Executive Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council of Plateau State,
Hon. Laven Joshua Ubandoma has facilitated the recovery of over 1000
small arms and light weapons from ethnic militias within the Tarok
ethnic nationality of Plateau State.
Presenting the recovered
weapons on Thursday to the Governor Simon Lalong for onward delivery to
the Nigerian Army said peace has returned to Langtang after 20 years of
upheavals.
He described Lalong as a true democrat and a peace
lover who has set in motion a re conciliatory mechanism for the return of
enduring peace in Plateau.
“The people of Tarok nation in Langtang North, Langtang South, and
Kadarko in Wase Local Government Areas of Plateau State have suffered
untold violence which culminated in the death of many of our people
since 2000.
“That time, I was still doing my National Diploma, we
didn’t understand what was really happening and the violence continued
for a very long time. We later understood those who were killing our
people and the issues were resolved.
“When I was sworn into
office, the military came to mop up arms in Langtang and I said they
should leave that task to me, we will deploy Military-Civil approach. We
set up a committee saddled with that responsibility and we were able to
recover these weapons that were voluntarily relinquished by the
youths.”
Ubandoma noted the voluntary submission of these arms is a resolve of
Tarok people to embrace lasting peace, nothing that there is no more
killing in Tarok nation.
Governor Simon Lalong said the exercise will go along way in
consolidating on the peace already gain by his administration in the
state.
“Today’s event which is the pilot phase of the
Community-Driven Arms Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme is very
important to the efforts at removing unauthorized arms from non-state
actors within the State.
“This event driven by the Community,
Local Government, and Security Agencies are meant to address the
proliferation of small arms and light weapons that have become a source
of concern and increased the incidences of violent crimes and loss of
lives and properties.
” It is, therefore, relevant to underscore
the fact that this programme is not only aimed at retrieving unlicensed
arms from non-state actors but also initiate a rehabilitation phase
where those who voluntarily surrender their arms will be assisted and
reintegrated back to society.”
Chairman, Committee on recovery of Small Arms and light weapons
within the Tarok nationality, HRH. Daniel Bongtur, the Madaki Langtang
said the effort of the committee was earlier resisted my uninformed
elites and youths but they were educated on the imperative of the
exercise which has yielded results.
He said: “The small arms and
light weapons recovered from the populace includes anti-tank gun,
rocket-propelled grenades, heavy and light multipurpose machine guns,
automatic rifles, fabricated long-range revolvers, pump-action guns,
double and single barrel guns, automatic revolvers, Dane guns, local
shells, local pistols and revolvers, various sizes of live ammunition
and various explosives device.
“Initial resistance emanated from
uninformed elites, youths, and party loyalists who tended to view the
approach as a cheap way of disarming the natives to be slaughtered by
their enemies who had killed them in the past.
” Most of the
weapons we’re seized from those who attacked Tarok nation and we’re
subsequently used in the defense of the people. Holding into illegal
arms is a contravention of the law and breeds trouble. We are happy to
inform you that the list of those who voluntarily surrendered their
weapons to the committee is ready.”