PLATEAU State Police Commissioner, C P Bartholomew N. Onyeka, has charged the Local Government Chairmen in the state to have cordial relationship with Hunters Association of their respective areas to strengthen and curb the security issues in the state.
He gave the charge Monday at a meeting with the Local Government Chairmen to help address all security challenges peculiar to each local government, organised by the commissioner and held at Police Officers Mess Jos, the state capital.
The commissioner said, “It has come to my notice that some of you are not in good terms with their Divisional Police Officer (DPO) despite the sacrifices of the police in your local government areas. All you do instead of appreciating them, is embarking on campaign of calumny, calling for their removal.
“If you are not co–operating with them for us to achieve what we are here for, I will remove or withdraw my officers back to carry on with civic protection duty they came to do. They must join hands together and make sure that they put to an end these security challenges. No right thinking Plateau person would want to see bloodshed”, he enthused.
The CP, however, charged the Local Government Chairmen to ensure that they cement their relationship with Hunters security outfits in their areas for effective security monitoring and called on them to talk to their youths about peace. He emphasized that they should not only use them for campaign or election purposes.
Responding, the Council Chairman of Shendam Local Government Area, Miskoom Alex Naantuam, who is the ALGON Chairman of the state, said, “Our I make bold to say that our relationship is very cordial. But the issue is this, there has been factions among them.
“Probably, the media is relating with the other faction that probably, is not recognised by us or by the law. Therefore, in my local government for example, we have created opportunity for them to harmonise and come with one leadership which we have now and we are now working seamlessly.
“Some groups came up that they are Hunters, some said they are the original Hunters who have been in the bush. That has been the problem. You cannot have hunters in the city. Hunting is done in the bush so, that has been the problem, but we are trying to see how we can mend fences so that the issues are addressed”, he explained.
