Stakeholders to stamp violence, cultism in Plateau

Security personnel and stakeholders from the central zone of Plateau State have decided to curb the spate of violence, crime and drug abuse among youths.

This decision was reached in Pankshin Local Government Area (LGA) at a dialogue meeting. Participants including traditional rulers, youth and women leaders, and groups from Bokkos, Mangu, Kanke, Kanam and Pankshin LGAs in the zone suggested ways of restoring peace in the State.

Organized by the Institute of Governance and Social Research (IGSR) and the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), the concept note for the dialogue stressed that there is a need to arrest the cycle of violence and crime in the zone before they degenerate further into a full blown crisis.

A Police Superintendent and acting Area Commander of Pankshin/Plateau Central Zone, David Ishiaku, said one of the formidable measures adopted by the police in recent time to curtail violence/crime is dialogue.

He said they are doing all it takes to restore peace not only in Plateau Central but in the state in general, and that the basic problem in the state is lack of understanding among the youths, the various ethno-religious groups/different communities.

The representative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Osabwa Aliyu, said they found that a major problem in the zone is the rise of cultism among youths which goes along with drug abuse.