12th September, 2011
President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday directed Air Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin, the Chief of Defence Staff to take charge of security in sectarian strife ridden Plateau State where over 200 people have been killed in the past three weeks.
This was one of the outcomes of a meeting of National Security Council convened to discuss the crisis in Plateau State on Monday as contained in a statement released to journalists by Reuben Abati, spokesperson to the President.
As indicated in the statement, the President has also directed that the Chief of Defence Staff should put an end to the killing.
The full statement reads: “In keeping with his avowed resolve to ensure the full security of lives and property across the country, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Monday in Abuja directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin to take full charge of the security situation in Plateau State immediately and take all necessary actions to stop the recent spate of killings in the state.
“President Jonathan will also meet with Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State tomorrow while he has also directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to bring up the reports of all the Committees set up on the crisis in the past for immediate review and implementation.
“Following a meeting of the National Security Council, President Jonathan also directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Pius Anyim Pius to bring up all pending reports by recent committees set up by the Federal Government on the Plateau for immediate review and implementation.
“President Jonathan who is scheduled to meet with the Plateau State Governor, Chief Jonah Jang tomorrow, further directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to take prompt action to address the plight of internally displaced persons in Plateau State.
“He renewed his call on parties involved in the crises in Plateau State to embrace tolerance, dialogue and compromise to ensure the success of ongoing efforts to achieve a lasting resolution of their differences”.