Gyang Bere, Jos
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State and former Secretary to Government in the state, Hon. Rufus Bature, said that the Federal Government has taken proactive measures to end the activities of crisis merchants who benefits from killing and sucking of innocent bloods in Plateau.
Bature noted that the merchants who have politicised the killing and land grabbing in the state should also be identify and arrested to enthron peace and unity in the state.
Hon. Bature, a Plateau North senatorial candidtate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) disclosed this, on Friday, during a press briefing with journalists, in Jos.
In the words of Bature, “I am happy that Federal Government is putting to an end the activities of crisis merchants in Plateau who drives political and economical benefits from the killings.
“All those who are benefitting economically and politically from the killings don’t want it to end but with the establishment of Mobil Squadron in the areas, their activities must stop.
“I have lost so many people in the killings in Barkin-Ladi and Riyom, it is not an issue of politics, but people should be seen with human faces.
“We were accused with the Governor for not visiting the IDPs but the day we went, our cars were pelted with stones; I was there with the Governor and my wheel screen was shattered.
“Arrest has been made of those who are perpetrating these crises from both end because criminality has no bounds, in armed robbery, cattle stealing, and those who destroyed people’s farm; people who are taste for blood, they just decides that some communities should not exist.”
He said that government should make adequate arrangement for people in the IDPs who might not be return to their ancentral home before the 2019 general election due to massive destruction to cast their votes wherever they are.
“I am aware that Government is making arrangement with INEC to ensure that all eligible voters at the IDPs camps in Plateau to cast their votes.
“Though December 24 deadline has been given for the return of people who abandoned their villages for fear of being kill, we will not accept a situation where you have your PVC and opportunity is not given to you to vote.”
Hon. Bature lamented that some people have wrong perception about Governor Simon Lalong, saying the governor believes in the unity and prosperity of the people of Plateau State.
He dismissed the insinuation that Lalong’s Government has not treated the Berom who are worst hit by the crisis fairly and said, “There is no tribe on the Plateau that has the number of appointment in Lalong administration like us the Berom.
“If it we’re because of the votes we gave him in 2015, I wouldn’t have been appointed as his Secretary to the State Government before I resigned.”