BREAKING: Senate Summons Service Chiefs as Death Toll in Plateau Attacks Rises to 195
- The Senate has summoned all service chiefs to address questions about the brutal Christmas Eve killings in Plateau, where approximately 195 people have died
- The Senate said the coordinated nature of the massacre shows there was a failure of security intelligence
- Senators expressed concerns about the lack of synergy among security agencies and alleged that security agents failed to act on prior information
Legit.ng journalist Nurudeen Lawal has 8 years of experience covering activities of the National and State Assemblies
FCT, Abuja - The Senate has summoned all service chiefs to appear before it to answer questions regarding the brutal killings in Plateau on Christmas Eve.
Reports indicate that about 195 persons have died after bandits attacked 23 villages in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi local government areas of Plateau state.
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The attacks also left hundreds of people injured and property destroyed.
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Senate blames attack on failure of security intelligence
According to Daily Trust, the Senate on Saturday, December 30, the coordinated nature of the massacre carried out by the marauding bandits shows there was a failure of security intelligence.
Legit.ng gathers that the lawmakers decided to summon the service chiefs following a motion by Senator Diket Plang (APC, Plateau) during Saturday’s plenary.
Those invited are the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Director-General of State Security Services, National Security Adviser, Director General of Nigeria Intelligence Agency and Inspector General of Police.
The security chiefs are to brief the Senate on the gruesome killings in Plateau state to enable the parliament to take further action, The Nation also reported.
How Plateau attack was carried out - Senator Ningi
Speaking at the plenary, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi), chairperson of the Northern Senators’ Forum, described the attack as unprecedented.
He said his findings, after spending 72 hours in Plateau and meeting with the state’s governor, showed the attackers collaborated with the locals to carry out the attacks in a well-coordinated manner.
According to the senator, about 400 bandits operated freely without hindrance.
He alleged that the security agents failed to act on the prior information before the attack happened.
The senator also said there was no synergy among the security agencies.
Lalong faults military's statement on difficult terrain
Also speaking, Simon Lalong, a former Plateau state governor, faulted the claims of the military that the terrain was difficult to access and the attacked communities were too distant from military formations.
The former governor expressed disappointment that despite the various military operations in the state, innocent lives are being lost in a gruesome manner.
IGP storms Plateau, meets Governor Mutfwang
Meanwhile, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has visited Jos, the Plateau state capital, to meet with Governor Caleb Mutfwang over the gruesome killings.
The police chief on Friday, December 29, ordered the deployment of tactical teams and equipment and the relocation of AIG Zone 4 to Plateau state with immediate effect.
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