The Plateau State Government has sharply condemned the military’s perceived failure to protect communities facing incessant attacks by bandits and has called for the immediate deployment of mobile police personnel in affected areas.

The state government also expressed deep concern over the activities of military personnel in these regions following recent attacks on villages in Riyom Local Government Area, which resulted in the deaths of 27 persons.

During a visit to the affected communities on Wednesday, Governor Caleb Mutfwang directly blamed security personnel for failing to apprehend the perpetrators, despite a checkpoint being located just a few meters from the scene of the attacks.

Prof. Chris Kwaja, Special Envoy on Peace and Security to the Governor, reinforced this sentiment in a statement on Saturday. He observed that the continued attacks and killings of innocent civilians demonstrate that the presence of soldiers has not yielded positive results.

Kwaja specifically called for the deployment of mobile policemen, whom the government believes are better equipped to tackle insecurity and restore sanity in the region. He noted, “During the Tuesday night attack, the security forces, especially Operation Safe Haven, a security task force maintaining peace in the state, failed to foil the attack despite their presence in the area. The attack was avoidable, given the early warning signs and intelligence reports.”

He urged the Federal Government to prioritize withdrawing all military personnel deployed in flashpoints and replace them with Mobile Police Squads to ensure normalcy in the affected communities. Kwaja opined that this change in approach is necessary for a more effective and responsive security strategy.