Insecurity: Dalung advocates state of emergency in Plateau, others

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Solomon Dalung, has advocated for State of Emergency in Plateau, Benue, Zamfara and Taraba and other troubled states in order to address the persistent killing of citizens.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday, the minister condemned the renewed killings in some parts of Plateau state in recent times.
According to him, it has become a matter of necessity for President Muhammadu Buhari to impose state of emergency in Plateau, Benue, Zamfara and Taraba in order to put a stop to the killings in those states.
The minister also frowned on those apportioning blame on the federal government over the persistent crisis in the Plateau, saying that authorities in the state and local governments should be held responsible for the problem.
“The Plateau crisis can be traced to many years of inaction by previous and current administrations in Plateau state despite the federal government’s efforts to address the problem.
It is disheartening that Plateau state has been witnessing killings of innocent citizens in the last four to five days and this is very annoying and disturbing to the government and inhabitants of the state.
“I alerted the Federal Executive Council on September 5, on the need to take drastic and emergency measures to tackle the crisis because the local and state governments have failed in their responsibility of offering useful information to security agents despite the huge resources being spent on security.
It has, therefore, become imperative for the federal government to declare state of emergency in Plateau and other troubled states so as to put a stop to the killings,” he said The minister, therefore, advocated for the rereintroduction of Crises Resolution Committee at the local government level with membership drawn from religious bodies, traditional institution, Cattle Breeders’ Association, farmers’ groups, women and youth organisations.
“But security personnel alone cannot achieve much in addressing the problem without the support and cooperation of the state and local governments as well as the local communities.
There is the need for collaboration between all the three tiers of government, the local communities and youth councils in order to find a lasting solution to the crisis.”

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