IG Orders All 17 Council Secretariats in Plateau Sealed

*Assembly accuses police commissioner of selective enforcement of court rulings 

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos 

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba, has ordered that the all the 17 local government area secretariats in Plateau State be sealed off.

Also, the 10^th Plateau State House of Assembly, has passed a vote of no confidence on the police commissioner in the state, Mr. Bathelomew Onyeka, accusing him of bias and selective enforcement of court rulings.

But Onyeka, who disclosed the order by the IG in a statement, yesterday, and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Alabo Alfred, explained that the action was to prevent a breakdown of law and order following tension that arose over the appointment of new leadership in the affected council areas by Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

The statement read in part: “The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Onyeka, to seal up all the 17 local government secretariats of the state.

“This has become necessary as a result of tensions around the leadership of the local government areas and the possible threat that supporters and local government chairmen are posing to critical infrastructure, lives and properties in the state.

“The decision to take this action is in accordance with the exercise of our constitutional responsibility as the Nigeria Police Force, to ensure that the above doesn’t hold sway on the Plateau.

“To this end, the Nigeria Police Force on the Plateau cannot sit down and watch things go wrong under our watch, hence the need to make this critical decision of sealing up the local government secretariats.

“The command, therefore, warns that it will not take it lightly with anyone, who tries to disrupt this process or cause any confusion around the local government secretariats, as we will ensure that the law takes its full course on such persons.

“The CP commends the good people of Plateau State for their continued understanding and urges everyone to go about their lawful businesses as we all give peace a chance on the Plateau.”

Mutfwang, had last week suspended all council chairmen alongside the councilors, to pave way for investigations following allegations of financial misappropriation levelled against them by the state legislature.

He later appointed interim management committees to run the affairs of the council areas. But the former council officials, who were all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had rejected their suspension, describing it as illegal, and vowed to hold to their positions.

Meanwhile, a member of the state assembly representing Bokkos State Constituency, Hon. Ishaku Maren, who spoke for the assembly, said, “the CP’s action did not come to us as a surprise because of the trend of events that have happened in the state.

“It was very clear that the Court ruled that the then Executive Chairman of Langtang-North Local Council in the person of Hon. Joshua Laven Ubandoma should be reinstated and the Police Commissioner in Plateau State deliberately refused to enforce such judgment.

“There was another court judgment that the then Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Nuhu Ayuba Abok, should be reinstated as the Speaker, which the state Commissioner of Police again deliberately refused to enforce. But now, the CP has hastily ordered his men to seal off the House of Assembly Complex, which is rather unfortunate.”

The lawmakers said the Police were not expected to be partisan in doing their jobs, adding that, “Our position is properly informed that the IG doesn’t reside in Plateau State, it shows that he has been misinformed by the state commissioner, who is his representative here.”

They however, called on the IG to reverse his directive and re-open the 17 council secretariats for smooth running.

“We are passing a vote of no confidence on the Plateau State Commissioner of Police because of his actions that contravene the establishment of the Nigerian Police Force, he is partisan and we’ve lost confidence in his actions,” the lawmakers added.