Plateau State Police Command has arrested 11 people including community and Fulani leaders following last Sunday’s breakdown of law and order that led to the killing of 17 people and burning of houses and places of worship in Kwatas district of Bokkos Local Government Area.

The suspects were in the early hours of Thursday bundled into vehicles and moved to Criminal Investigations Department at Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The police had on Monday confirmed killing of 13 people and burning of several houses in Kwatas, followed by the killing of four persons as the hostilities spread to neighbouring villages of Dimis, Chenget, Machanby, Murish and Pando in the same district.

However, yesterday’s arrest followed the directive of Governor Simon Lalong to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Isaac Akinmoyede, to arrest local community leaders and Fulani leaders for their failure to produce suspects.

Lalong, irked by the community leaders’ supposed lack of knowledge of the attackers said; “How can they say that people are killed and there is no arrest. Are those killing others spirits?”

Our correspondent gathered from security sources that community and Fulani leaders arrested include those from Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas.

Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Ubah Gabriel confirmed the transfer of 11 suspects to Abuja stating that “for every Ardo that was moved to Abuja, an equivalent of the community leader from that area was equally picked and taken to Abuja.”

Daily Trust