The Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa State, Mr Ahmed Bello, says Tuesday’s attack on Gov. Umaru Al-Makura’s convoy by some youths at an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Agwatashi, Obi Local Government Area, was politically motivated.
Bello told newsmen in Lafia shortly after a security meeting at the Government House, Lafia, that preliminary investigation had revealed that the attack had political undertone.
He said investigation had begun to unravel those behind the incident, saying that the police would not rest on their oars until the perpetrators were arrested and punished.
He said the security situation in the area had been brought under control with the deployment of police personnel.
The commissioner also said that the police had also embarked on intensive patrol of various settlements in the affected area with minimal security presence in order to ward off any attack.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor had visited the IDPs camp to assess the situation following the killing of over 32 persons by suspected herdsmen the previous week.
However, when the governor attempted to address the IDPs, some youths in the camp started chanting different slogans, which made the governor to leave the camp.
The situation became tensed when the youth began to pelt the governor’s convoy with stones, thereby compelling the police to disperse them with tear gas.
Al-Makura blamed the situation on frustration caused by the challenges the IDPs faced.
“The reaction from the people is understandable given their plight and we have to use diplomacy to address the issues.
“Continuing to address them at the moment would not yield any result, so, we decided to avoid further altercation.
“However, this action appears to indicate that the problems in some of these communities are self-inflicted.
“If people can conduct themselves in this way, then you know that there is more to it than what is happening,” Al-Makura said.
The governor, however, advised the leaders of the communities to caution their people against mob actions and disrespect for law and order.
“If you will want to take laws into your own hands, you will be left to defend yourselves.
“However, as a responsible government desirous of protecting lives and property, we shall explore all avenues to ensure the safety of the people,” he said.
He directed Chairmen of the affected local government areas to take stock of the people displaced with a view to providing relief materials to them. (NAN)