Former Senate Minority Leader and Plateau North Senatorial district representative, Sen Dr. Simon Mwadkwon, has pointed fingers at the laxity of security personnel for the recent tragic events that resulted in the killing of over 100 individuals in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi local government areas of Plateau state.
Speaking at his residence in Jos on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, Dr. Mwadkwon addressed journalists concerning the attacks that occurred on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2023, simultaneously in two local government areas of the state.
“Our pain is that before these attacks, intelligence was circulated to virtually all security agencies with access to information, predicting that this attack was going to happen. People were to be killed. But I’m sure, very sure, pretty sure that no proactive action was taken. And that is why the attack was able to take place, leading to the loss of several people,” insisted Dr. Mwadkwon.
The former National Assembly member disclosed that there was no response in enhancing security measures despite security alerts on impending attacks. He argued that adequate security measures could have averted the tragedy if action had been taken after receiving the intel.
Expressing concern, Dr. Mwadkwon decried the arrest of locals who were trying to defend themselves and highlighted that no arrests had been made concerning the actual culprits. “The aggrieved persons are the ones that have been arrested by some of the security agencies, leaving the culprits,” he said.
Dr. Mwadkwon emphasized that the victims did nothing to deserve such inhuman treatment. “It’s a very unfortunate situation, an unprovoked attack on the innocent people of Plateau State from my own senatorial district, that is Plateau North. Barkin Ladi was affected, some parts of Bokkos affected, and Mangu local government. I’m saying that these attacks were unprovoked. Nobody did something to warrant another person to come and kill.”
Urging the federal government to take action, Dr. Mwadkwon called for tightened security measures and intensified efforts to protect the lives and properties of helpless citizens.
