Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has ordered a full investigation into the recent killings in Plateau State.Egbetokun also ordered the immediate deployment of additional police personnel and resources to the state following the attacks on various communities that claimed the lives of many.
The Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a press conference in Abuja, announced that the police chief directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) and other relevant departments to form a high-powered investigative team. This team will work to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible.
Egbetokun condemned the killings as barbaric, reprehensible, and inhumane, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice. He emphasized that they “would not know peace till they were brought to book.”
The statement comes after last week’s tragic events in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas, where over 140 people, including women and children, were killed. While no group has officially claimed responsibility, the attacks have fueled existing tensions between Christian and Muslim communities in the region, where decades-long conflicts over land and water access have deepened the sectarian divide.
Reports indicate that the assailants targeted 17 communities, burning down many houses in the area. Some locals have expressed concerns about the delayed response from security agencies, claiming it took over 12 hours for help to arrive after their calls for assistance.