PLATEAU KILLINGS: Fulani, community leaders arrested, whisked to Abuja for questioning

Local community leaders and Fulani leaders from Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State were on Wednesday arrested by the Plateau State Police Command and whisked away to Abuja on Thursday for further questioning on the crisis that rocked parts of Bokkos LGA of the state.

Breaking Times reports that the arrest came less than 24 hours after Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong ordered the State Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede to arrest community leaders and Ardos of the affected communities following the killings and destruction of properties around Kwatas and nearby communities of Bokkos LGA.

A slight disagreement had stalled the arrest on Tuesday when only the Fulani Ardos stood up for the arrest while community leaders remained seated, claiming that the governor’s instructions was not directed at them.

However, CP Akinmoyede had ordered the leaders to reconvene at the Police headquarters the following day.

It was gathered from sources at the headquarters that on their arrival, they were asked to make individual statements in which some of them were released.

As at 4:00am on Thursday, it was gathered that Ardos from Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu as well as the Chairmen of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Nigeria and some community and youth leaders were bundled into vehicles and whisked away to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the Police headquarters in Abuja.

Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ubah Gabriel confirmed the development and said, “for every Ardo that was moved to Abuja, an equivalent of the community leader from that area was equally picked and taken to Abuja.”