The Governor of Plateau State, Celeb Mutfwang has lamented that terrorists are currently occupying no fewer than 64 communities, including schools in the state.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who spoke today, December 26, against the background of the recent attacks on communities that resulted into the death of about 110 people, said that terrorists have totally displaced people in those communities.
He said that the taking over of the communities by the terrorists, has placed immense burden on the state government.
He responded to Channels TV interview by saying that not less than 17 communities were attacked in the recent madness by the terrorists.
“When people are dislocated from their villages and they have to run for shelter, now we are struggling to provide shelter for these people that have been displaced and dislocated from their communities.
“If they stay away from those communities for a sustained period of time, the terrorists would come in.
“As I am talking to you today (Tuesday, December 26), in Riyom Local Government, in Barikin Ladi Local Government, schools have been occupied by these terrorists for almost a number of years now.
“We have not less than 64 communities that have been displaced and their lands have been taken over by these terrorists.”
The Governor condemned the perceived inaction under the previous administration, stating that residents felt the terrorists were given official government backing.
He emphasized that the current occupation of schools did not happen overnight, with some having been seized for as long as five years.
“Under the last regime, the feeling among people in Plateau State particularly the victims of these terrorists attacks is that it looks as if the terrorists were given official government backing to be able to terrorise them because little or nothing was done to repel these attacks.
“I can tell you these schools that are being occupied, it didn’t just start now, some of those schools have been occupied in the last three, four, five years.
“Children, therefore in those schools, have not been able to go to school. They have to relocate. We even have primary health care centres abandoned because of these terrorists which means that our health care system is put in jeopardy.
“What do we need to do? I think this is where the president needs to come in.”
Meanwhile, the death toll from the attacks has increased to 115 from the last figure of 113.
This followed the death of two more people undergoing treatment.
