Lalong Condemns Attacks In Riyom, Jos North

Plateau Governor Simon Lalong has condemned the recent attacks in Jos North and Riyom Local Government Areas, describing them as barbaric and callous.

The governor made the condemnation during the opening ceremony of the zonal public hearing of the senate committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution on Wednesday in Jos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Jos is the host of the public hearing of the 1999 review in the North Central Zone.

Lalong expressed concern that the attacks claimed the lives of many including women and children in Dong Community of Jos North and Kwi, Community in Riyom.

He commended the efforts of the security agencies in de-escalating the situation, while calling on them to fish out the perpetrators and prosecute them to serve as deterrent to others.

Lalong expressed hope that the constitution review would help in addressing the security challenges in Plateau and other parts of the country.

“Hopefully, this constitutional review should lead to better policing that is closer to the people to stop this kind of unacceptable murders,” he said.

He said his administration had always advocated community policing as a viable tool in addressing the current security challenges in the country

“As a Government, we have canvassed for policing that is grassroots-oriented which we believe will better address the current insecurity in the country.

“That is why we have embraced Community Policing which is a precursor to State Police.

“In addition, we have strengthened our Operation Rainbow, which is backed by law and has helped us tremendously in tackling crime and insecurity in the state,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the issue of Local Government Creation would also be addressed during the exercise saying, the Northern Governor’s Forum had set up committees on restructuring and Role of traditional Rulers.

“Let me use this opportunity as the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum to say that we have since set up committees on Restructuring, Role of Traditional Rulers, Engagement with the Youth and even Economic Reforms of the Region.

“The reports of these committees will also be submitted to the Constitutional Review Committee for consideration,” he said.

He urged various interest groups to present their perspectives on how the 1999 constitution should be reviewed to address the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians at the public hearing.

He said that it was better instead of overheating the polity in the social or conventional media.

Earlier, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, the chairman, senate committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, said the senate adopted a bottom top approach to listen to contributions of Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones.

The chairman represented by Sen. Adamu Abdullahi, the leader of the North Central zone committee of the review, said that the exercise was a critical phase in the development and advancement of a nation.

“Public hearings are critical to participatory democracy and indispensable in a constitution amendment exercise,” he said.

He implored Nigerians irrespective of political affiliations to support the national Assembly in its desire to bring positive transformation in the country.

NAN reports that the members of the North Central committee earlier paid a courtesy visit to Lalong at Government House, Jos.

– NAN