Tension heightens in Plateau, as IGP orders sealing of all local govt secretariats

The secretariats of the 17 local government areas of Plateau State have been ordered sealed by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba.

This was disclosed on Thursday by the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka, in a statement, signed by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Alabo Alfred.

According to the statement, the action was to prevent a breakdown of law and order following tension that arose over the appointment of new leadership in the affected council areas by the state governor, Caleb Mutfwang.

The statement reads in part: “The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Onyeka, to seal up all the 17 local government secretariats of the state.

“This has become necessary as a result of tensions around the leadership of the local government areas and the possible threat that supporters and local government chairmen are posing to critical infrastructure, lives and properties in the state. The decision to take this action is in accordance with the exercise of our constitutional responsibility as the Nigeria Police Force, to ensure that the above doesn’t hold sway on the Plateau.

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“To this end, the Nigeria Police Force on the Plateau cannot sit down and watch things go wrong under our watch, hence the need to make this critical decision of sealing up the local government secretariats.

“The command therefore warns that it will not take it lightly with anyone who tries to disrupt this process or causes any confusion around the Local Government Secretariats, as we will ensure that the law takes its full course on such persons.

“The CP commends the good people of Plateau State for their continued understanding and urges everyone to go about their lawful businesses as we all give peace a chance on the Plateau.”

The state governor, Mutfwang, had last week, suspended all the chairmen in the local government areas of the state alongside the councillors to pave way for investigations following allegations of financial impropriety levelled against them by the state legislature.

The governor also named replacements for the suspended LG chiefs, naming them interim management committees.

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