Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has described as callous, criminal, inhuman and wicked, the reported willful destruction of farm crops in some communities in the State by yet to be apprehended criminals.
Governor Lalong while reacting to the ugly development said it is unimaginable that people will go into a farm and mow down flourishing crops that are nearing maturity and expected to be harvested in the coming weeks and months.
This according to him is a premeditated act that must be addressed.
Lalong said, the recent case of such intentional destruction of farm crops in Kpachudu, Jebbu Miango in Bassa Local Government area is totally condemnable and unacceptable.
He noted, from the reports, that the act is a carefully planned and executed that is not only meant to provoke crisis, suspicion and instability in the area, but also render the victims poor and hungry.
” What these criminals fail to understand is that such actions will eventually leave the entire State and the country with food shortages where even the perpetrators will not escape”.
The Governor therefore directed security agencies to swing into action by conducting a thorough investigation with a view to arresting those behind it and prosecuting them.
“The Government will be working with the security agencies to do everything within their power to unravel those behind the barbaric act and deal with them accordingly”.
Governor Lalong also mandated the Plateau Peace Building Agency to visit the affected areas and ascertain the level of damage, as well as foster dialogue within the communities with a view to ensuring that such incidents are avoided.
The Governor also wants community associations, traditional rulers, youth groups and vigilante platforms all over the State to be proactive by providing the security agencies with the intelligence to pre-empt and foil such plans as well as arresting the perpetrators who clearly are on a mission to return Plateau to the era of pain and agony.
He sympathizes with the affected farmers and promised that the Government will do its best to ensure that they get justice.
Bilkisu Kambai