Just In: Governor Lalong’s aide resigns over renewed attacks in Plateau State
An aide to Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has announced his resignation following a week of armed attacks in the State’s Bokkos Local Government Area which he said the Governor has ignored.
Mr. Alfred Mashat Makut, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Information Communication Technology in a press release on Friday berated Lalong for placing his political interests above the safety of citizens.
His resignation followed an overnight raid in the northwest of Bokkos which killed one person and injured seven others according to witnesses.
The attack by 300 mercenaries who swarmed over Folloh, a village of more than 1000 people saw more than 20 houses razed.
Hours prior to the attack, 100 armed terrorists according to residents killed 11 people in another village 2miles east of Folloh.
In an evening invasion of the market town of Maikatako, described by Governor Lalong as worrisome, several houses and a Church were razed.
Lalong in a statement on Wednesday afternoon called securities to hunt down the killers.
But Makut who is also a rap singer and blogger known by the stage name Seemo D’black C-zar said the Governor has not done enough to secure the State.
“Our Government has failed us,” he said.
“On the day of APC campaign FLAG-OFF in Jos, Maikatako village in Bokkos was attacked at night by the same marauding Herdsmen.
“My dear Governor and Principal, Governor Simon Bako Lalong, whom I have supported with everything I have when it comes to political support, again, did not abandon whatsoever political engagement he had to visit my people, despite how we tried to reach out for that to be done.
“The APC as a party that I am a member did not honour the dead and their families of the aggrieved by cancelling any further political activity to honour the dead or even send a high powered delegation from the PCC to console with the good people of Bokkos,” he added.
Makut who is a native of Bokkos recalled previous attacks which he said were ignored by the
Governor.
“On the 18th of July,2016 our paramount ruler, Saf Ron/Kulere La’azarus Agai was murdered in cold blood. Seven years after no one has been arrested or brought to book despite all the protests, pleas, litigations and concerns of the people of Bokkos. I was one of the Youths that led a protest to little Rayfield on 20th July,2016 and ended up been arrested with two of my Brothers.
“On 28th January 2020- Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked Kwatas Village killing 15 persons. I wrote an epistle lamenting why Governor Simon Bako Lalong will not visit the family of the Victim or even attend the mass burial.
“I will longer be politically correct while the enemy daily makes in-roads in a calculated ethnic cleansing.We can only go to campaign to people that are alive and not people in their graves,” he said, calling justice for victims of attacks.
He said, “my people are mourning,my people are in tears,the land is spilled with blood, my people want Justice and my people must get justice.