Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu
From Yakubu Busari, Jos
An inter-communal conflict looms in Wase Local Government Council of Plateau State as Tarok youths have accused the emirate council there of conniving with one Mr Shehu Jatau to undermine the authority of their Chief, the Ponzhi Kadarko, Lot Nden.
A spokesman of the group of Concerned Tarok from Kadarko District, Mr Lohpon Garba told this medium that security personnel are targeting youths who are vocal in condemning the plot for arrest.
According to them, Shehu, a community leaser in Kurmi Dampar in neighbouring Taraba state, who was arrested by Nigeria Army in Abuja in November 2019, is said to be gradually making his way back to the community, courtesy of his ‘friendship’ with the police.
They allege the Plateau state Command of the Nigeria Police Force has conspired with unnamed top leaders to free Shehu Jatau and release him back to Wase LGA .
The Nigeria army troops had arrested Shehu Jatau, a militia gang leader and five of his accomplices at a hotel in the central area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, recently.
According to army operations media coordinator, Aminu Iliyasu, in a statement, preliminary investigations showed that the suspects were involved in a recent Plateau state crisis before they moved to Abuja to resort to “kidnapping, extortion and unleashing unprecedented carnage on its residents”.
The statement added that the troops also rescued seven kidnapped victims from the criminals in the Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna state.
It read in part, “A notorious Tarok militia gang leader, Shehu Jatau and five of his accomplices were trailed and arrested in a hotel in the Central Area, Abuja,” the statement read, adding that, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were very active in the unfortunate Plateau crisis that caused the lives of citizens and destruction of properties worth billions of naira.
“However, with the return of peace in the state, the criminal gang resorted to kidnapping, extortion and unleashing unprecedented carnage on innocent residents.
Tarot youths fear that Jatau who was the alleged mastermind of many crisis that caused destruction of lives and properties, may re-enact that devilish feat again, this time unrestrained.
In his reaction, the Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Gabriel Ubah, denied any complicity by the Police.
He told THISAGE that the youths were farther from the truth in their allegation.
“We consider it a rumour. As I speak with you, Jatau is still with us at the CID still undergoing investigation,” he said, disclosing further that, “whatever he is charged with, we will investigate before we take the next step.”
