The Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Muftwang, where over 50 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in recent weeks, says the assault on the area is sponsored and genocidal.
Attackers struck in several communities in the Bokkos Local Government Area of the North Central state, displacing many and leaving a trail of destruction behind.
Muftwang, miffed by the killings, has linked the attacks to some unnamed terrorist groups.
According to him, the assault in Plateau State is being sponsored and targeted at wiping off communities in the state.
“I can tell you in all honesty that I cannot find any explanation other than genocide sponsored by terrorists. The question is: who are the persons behind the organisers of this terrorism? This is what the security agencies must help us to unravel,” the governor said on a live television programme on Tuesday.
“We must come to the point where we know the sponsors because it is not just the work of ordinary people. This is being sponsored from somewhere, and I am sure that in the coming days, the security agencies will work together – not at cross purposes but in unison – to be able to bring out the requisite intelligence that will help us to put this matter behind us,” he said.
Also, the Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, said one of its students was abducted by suspected bandits at an off-campus hostel in Kalgo Local Government Area of Kebbi.
Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the university, Jamilu Magaji, said the abductors stormed the campus at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
“At around 3:00 a.m., five armed men approached students of Federal University Birnin Kebbi at an off-campus hostel known as Istijaba Villa, located in Unguwar Jeji.
“The students were sleeping outside their rooms when the attackers accosted and demanded money from them.
“The students explained that, as students, they had no money.
“During the confrontation, the armed men assaulted the students.
“A neighbour, Malam Siddi Hussaini, who was nearby tending to his cattle, heard the commotion and came to ascertain the situation. He was shot dead by the armed men.
“The attackers abducted Augustine Madubiya, a 400-level student in the Department of Economics, while Mr. Collaneous Steven, a 200-level student of Business Administration, managed to escape,” he said.
Magaji added that the vice chancellor, Muhammad Zaiyan-Umar, in the company of the Divisional Police Officer, Kalgo Division and officials of the Department of State Services, had addressed the students.
Magaji quoted the vice chancellor as reaffirming the university’s commitment to ensure their safety.
He said Zaiyan-Umar also communicated the unfortunate incident to Governor Nasir Idris through the Offices of Secretary to the State Government and Director Security Services Cabinet Office.
He said Zaiyan-Umar expressed the university’s gratitude to the local community for its support to the students and called for further assistance from the government and security agencies.
