Crisis Looms in Plateau over Arrest of Traditional Leaders by Security Agents

The semblance of peace currently enjoyed in Plateau State may again be disrupted following the arrest of some traditional rulers that were drafted to Abuja for a peace talk towards resolving a lingering crisis in the Southern Senatorial zone of the state.

Addressing a press conference in Jos yesterday, Ngwang Ishi O’Tarok (NIO), a traditional group in the zone, warned that the continuous incarceration of the leaders by security agents had started generating serious tension which may degenerate to breakdown of law and order in the state if not quickly addressed.

NIO President, Mr. David Dashe, recalled that “in recent years, the Tarok community in Wase has been involved in intraethnic crisis which degenerated into severe repression of opponents, loss of lives and massive destruction of property,” adding that the ugly experience has left behind scars of worry, and has increasingly induced a climate of fear and anxiety among the innocent population in the area, especially women and children.

Commending Governor Simon Lalong over his role, he said the state government has continued to intervene to bring the situation under control.

Dashe noted the peace dialogue initiated by the state government in collaboration with the efforts of the Wase Joint Traditional Council, the Langtang North and the South Joint Traditional Council, and the Tarok Elders Forum (TEF) in calling for calm and engaging the warring factions in peace talks. He said this effort was already yielding desired results before the security agents moved in and arrested some traditional rulers.

He aded that in a bid to further pursue a lasting and permanent peace, a committee was set up which employed the non-conventional approach in tackling the matter and had held series of meetings with the two warring leaders in the crisis, the Ponzhi Kadarko, Chief Lot Nden and the Ponzhi Kurmi, Mr. Shehu Jatau.