The Governor gave his reaction in a statement on Friday by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Macham Makut.

Simon Lalong, the Governor of Plateau State, has reacted to the early morning attacks in Te’egbe Community by gunmen in which over ten persons including children lost their lives on Friday while several houses were set ablaze, The PUNCH reports.

In a statement on Friday by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Macham Makut,the Governor described the attack as “another sad incident which is clearly the handiwork of criminals that are bent on instilling fear, pain and sorrow among the people with a view to destabilising the State and making fortune from their criminality as well as rupturing the substantial peace attained.”

The statement partly read, “The Governor totally condemns the attack and says there is no explanation that can justify it. He therefore directs security agencies to take immediate and drastic steps to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure that they pay for their crimes.”

It further quoted the Governor as saying “The persistent attacks in this general area remains condemnable and unacceptable to Government. As such, no resources and efforts will be spared in painstakingly following up on the trail of those who derive joy in attacking and killing innocent citizens and destroying their homes and means of livelihoods.

“I expect the security agencies to deploy everything at their disposal to arrest those who carried out the crime no matter how long it takes. Government will not take any excuse for failure to achieve this directive”.

The statement added, “Lalong while commiserating with the victims and families of those killed, assured that they will get justice as Government will stop at nothing to unravel those behind this ugly incidences that continue to disrupt the livelihoods of the people of the Local Government.

“Lalong also directed the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency and the Peace Building Agency to immediately visit the area and assess the level of damage with a view to carrying out immediate intervention and bringing succour to people who are in need as a result of the barbaric attack. 

“He also calls on the people to assist the security agencies with relevant information that will enable them crack the identity and motives of the attacks”.