CSOs back Military Operations in Plateau

By Okodili Ndidi, Abuja

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations has appealed to residents of Plateau State to support efforts of the Military Special Task Force and Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) to effectively check criminal activities in the state.

The group, under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society for Peace And Security (COCPAS), particularly commended the security operatives for the recent killing of three daredevil armed robbers who were terrorising Jos and environs.

However in a statement on Friday, COCPAS, an umbrella body for 102 civil society, community based and Human Rights organisations, advicating peace and security in Nigeria and Africa, expressed worries over the resurgence of criminal activities in the state.

But the group in the statement by Amb. Melvin Ejeh,its chairman and Barr. Gyang Dachomo,as Secretary respectively, expressed optimism the new crime rate in the state would be a thing of the past given what it described as “the level of commitment by the new OPSH Commander, Major General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo,to sanitize the state”.

It said ro rid the state of criminality and restore its glory as ‘Home of Peace and Hospitality’, “residents of the state as well as stakeholders must begin to redouble their support and cooperation with the OPSH by providing timely and credible information to not just the military outfit but also other security agencies in the state with the view for them to act swiftly”.

The group specifically commended the OPSH Commander “for bringing his wealth of experience on security to bear in the state” ,adding that “the development was rapidly returning Plateau States to its initial glorious status as home of peace”.

According to the statement: “We wish to strongly commend the Commander, officers and men of Operation Safe Haven, OPSH, the security outfit established to enforce peace and security in Plateau State, part of kaduna and Bauchi states for their renewed vigor in tackling the security challenges in plateau State and their areas of responsibilities.

“We are particularly happy with the way Plateau State and Southern Kaduna is calmed with farmers and herders going about their businesses now.

“This is new to us at this time of season and it is quite commendable. What this means is that there will bountiful harvest by next farming season,” the statement read.

Going further, the organisation said it was overwhelmed with joy over the way the military task force handled the recent crisis in Zango Kataf area of Kaduna State where it noted,there was no escalation of hostilities.

“We are again pleased with how the security agencies of OPSH handled the Zango kataf recent crisis and prevent it from it escalating.

” This is exactly what the citizens expect from security agencies and nothing more,”it added.

Regretting that some areas of Jos metropolis had previously been enveloped in insecurity following activities of some criminal elements in the ancient city,the group said it was overjoyed with the gunning down of three of the elements on Thursday by the committed personnel of OPSH.

The statement reads in part:”We also wish to commend the OPSH for the killing of three notorious armed robbers in Jos yesterday after hot chase from a robbery scene.

“The activities of these miscreants are becoming too much in Jos metropolis and must be checked with utmost seriousness and urgency.

“Investors are running out of Jos, people no longer sleep in their houses with their eyes closed, citizens can no longer use their phones peacefully at night or during day time because of these criminals.

“This is not the Jos we used to know. This crimes were further heightened because of the lack of cooperation between the security agencies in the past. But we are happy now that the new Commander of OPSH and the new commissioner of police now work as a team.

“We are therefore calling on all stakeholders on the plateau peace project to support OPSH and other security agencies to enable them stamp out these criminals out of town.

“We must give them timely and credible information.”

– The Nation