By, Giwa Alex ,Jos.
Barr. Simon Lalong of plateau state escaped assassination by the whiskers when his convoys was attacked and windscreen of his car broken.
The convoy of the Governor was attacked by unidentified persons on his way from the camps of Internal Displaced Persons (IDP) accommodating victims of recent attack in some communities of Barkin Ladi Local government area of the state which no fewer than 200 persons lost their lives.
The attack on the Governor is the second within the space of three weeks. The first is when some aggrieved women staged peaceful demonstration to Government House Little Rayfield to register their displeasure over the killing of over 200 of their love ones.
The Peaceful demonstration later turned violence as the workers at the government house where seen scaling the fence for fear of been attacked by the women demonstrators and properties worth millions of naira were claimed to have destroyed.
Meanwhile, the plateau state government has condemned in a strong term the attack on the convoy of the Governor.
According to a press release dated 13th July, 2018 and signed by the commissioner for information and communication Yakubu Dati reads in part:
The Plateau State Government hereby condemns in very strong terms the attack on the convoy of His Excellency Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong, The Executive Governor of Plateau State, by some hoodlums shortly after leaving an IDP camp at Anguldi, Jos South Local Government Area of the State.
The hoodlums, acting on the script of their sponsors, laid ambush on the highway and attacked the Governor ‘s convoy with stones, rods and other unidentified objects, damaging vehicles in the convoy including those belonging to the press corp, security and relief agencies.
The attack is coming at the heels of a similar invasion on the Plateau State Government House about two weeks ago, where Government properties, vehicles of Civil Servants and visitors to the Government House running into millions of naira were destroyed.
The Government finds it regrettable that while its efforts at restoring peace is yielding results, certain unpatriotic elements are bent on returning our State to the sad era of blood letting by instigating religious and ethnic hatred, for cheap political gains.
The Government views these attacks as an affront on the authority of the State and will therefore take appropriate measures to checkmate merchants of division and death.
The Governor wishes to assure citizens that Government will not relent in ensuring that the safety of citizens is guaranteed and the relative peace sustained.
The Governor also wishes to thank the Security Agencies for professionally carrying out their duties with restrain even in the face of extreme provocation.
The IDPs must not allow those who do not wish them well to use their misfortune for ulterior motives.
We call on parents, religious and community leaders to counsel their children/members not to become willing tools in the hands conflict merchants.
Government has set a machinery in motion to fish out and bring to justice all those conniving to present the state as unsafe by sowing the seed of discord amongst the good people of plateau state.
