INSPECTOR General of Police, IGP Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, has called on Plateau people to unite in their mission to fight against criminal elements troubling the state to subdue them. He further cautioned them to stop giving crime tribal and religious coloration because the criminal elements are united in their purpose to cause havoc.
He made the call recently while on an assessment visit to Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, where he was received by the Mishkaham Mwaghavul, Da John Putmang Hirse, following series of attacks in communities in his domain which claimed many lives, property destroyed including farmlands and many displaced.
The Inspector General of Police, said, “I am paying a visit to Mangu this evening to express concern and condole with His Royal Highness and the people of Mangu LGA, over the ugly incidents that have been happening in this local government.
“I have been asking questions and I am still getting the same answer, that the problems in Plateau are motivated by political, social and economic problems. I am here today to put head together with His Royal Highness to find a lasting solution to the trouble of Plateau State.
” I assure you that we in the Police Force are working with the government, traditional rulers and stakeholders so that peace will return to Plateau.This, we are committed to and we are not on a mission to fail. We are going to succeed together.
“The criminals troubling us are not more numerous than us. They cannot match us in number. We are far more than them and even more organised than them. They are just a tiny group of people that are troubling us. The only thing is that they are united in their purpose of criminality, but we are not united in our mission to fight crime against them. If we are all united against them, we will be able to subdue them”, he encouraged.
While promising to deploy more officers and men of the Nigeria Police and also repeat his visit to Plateau until peace was returned, Egbetokun assured that he would ensure that justice was dispensed when any arrest was made by the public and handed over to the police. “We will dig deep and get to the root of the crime.
“We have to be careful and unite against the criminals, but should not take law into our hands.
“Let us stop identifying these criminals by their tribes or religion they practice. Let us treat criminals as criminals! They are troubling us all but the moment we start identifying them with tribes, we are going to be further divided. We do not need to be divided at this time because we want unity.
The IGP, however, commended the Mishkaham Mwaghavul for his leadership role played at this trying time and assured him of his support and that the Police were with him to return peace in the area and the state at large.
Responding, the Mishkaham Mwaghuval, Da John Putmang Hirse, described the coming of the IGP to Mangu as renewed hope to his people and called on him to revisit Mangu one day so that they would have enough time to discuss more on the situation of the area.
“With your intimidating profile, I believe that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, did not make a mistake in appointing you as Inspector General of Police”, the royal father pointed out.
Earlier, the IGP’s first point of call was to the Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, and later to the Police Officers’ Mess where community and religious leaders as well as stakeholders from faith based organisations received him before proceeding to Mangu LGA.
