Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

Jang denies role in clash of military, militia group

By Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi (Jos)
14 May 2015   |   3:46 am
GOVERNOR Jonah Jang of Plateau State has denied any involvement in the recent clash between militia groups and the military in the state. Scores of people died amid reports that Jang had deployed the military to the area. But Jang said it was “uncharitable, disheartening and unfair” to drag his name into the recent clash…
Jonah-Jang-23-2-15--

Jang

GOVERNOR Jonah Jang of Plateau State has denied any involvement in the recent clash between militia groups and the military in the state.

Scores of people died amid reports that Jang had deployed the military to the area. But Jang said it was “uncharitable, disheartening and unfair” to drag his name into the recent clash which led to death of some people.”

The governor said it is the height of irresponsibility for anyone to envisage that for political reasons a governor will connive with soldiers to kill his subjects, Governor Jang’s Executive Assistant on Media, Clinton Garuba, said.

The Ngwang Ishi O’tarok (NIO) a socio-cultural and political group of Taroh people of Wase Local Government of Plateau State last week accused the Special Task Force (STF), the 3 Amoured Division of the Nigerian Army Jos and Plateau State Government of genocide against Taroh nation.

Four Taroh villages, which include Kadarko, Mutum Biyu, Wadatan Arewa, Wadatan Kasuwa all in Wase Local Government of Plateau State came under attack on Saturday by people suspected to be members of the Nigerian Army resulting in over 50 people dead and about 150 others sustaining various degrees of injuries, while houses and farms harvest, livestock worth millions of naira were destroyed in the raid.

Garuba said it was widely known that neither the men of the Special Task Force (STF) nor the police take orders from the governor. “They are both controlled from Abuja by the Defence Headquarters and the Force Headquarters respectively. To insinuate that the Plateau State Government had a hand in the matter is only a ploy to destroy the image of the governor and the State Government.”

He cautioned that the time for partisanship was over and with the government now in a transition period it was doing everything within its ability to ensure a smooth hand over to the incoming administration.

According to the state government’s statement, “To try to drag the government into this matter smacks more of a deliberate effort to rubbish the government and paint it in a bad light before the court of public opinion.

“The state government recognises that those who lost loved ones are in pain but must not allow such painful experience at the moment to push them to the point of making unguarded utterances that can fan the embers of hatred and disunity among the people.”

Meanwhile, Garuba disclosed that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had been mandated to bring relief material to the affected communities. “This is part of the little way government can assuage the sufferings of the people affected. Government will continue to do whatever is within its powers to protect the lives of citizens until it bows out on May 29.”

0 Comments