The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has issued a strong warning to those behind the latest bloodshed in Plateau State, declaring that they will soon face a “surprise” response from security forces. This declaration followed the massacre of fifty-one individuals in the early hours of Monday in Zikke community, Bassa Local Government Area—barely two weeks after a similar incident claimed scores of lives in Bokkos LGA.
The attackers not only killed dozens but also torched homes, leaving hundreds displaced and a region already reeling from grief further shaken. The latest wave of violence has plunged the Plateau into renewed mourning and fear, raising concerns over the ability of security agencies to stem the recurring tide of bloodshed.
During his third official visit to Plateau State on Tuesday, the IGP condemned the attacks in the strongest terms and reassured the people that decisive action was underway.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms these acts of violence. We recognize the severity of the incident and its negative impact on the local farming communities in Plateau State,” Egbetokun stated. “I don’t want to say much on this, but I would say that this criminal element will soon be surprised because I know that their days are numbered.”
In a bid to foster unity and prevent the crisis from taking on an ethnic dimension, Egbetokun appealed to residents to refrain from ethnic profiling of suspects, stressing that crime knows no tribe.
“I want to appeal to our people that we should not profile criminals based on their ethnics. We must stop ethnic profiling of criminals,” he said. “Criminals must be dealt with as criminals. Criminals don’t have tribes. They are just criminals. Let us work together to ensure that the criminals in our midst are dealt with as criminals and not on the basis of where they come from.”
The IGP’s visit comes amid rising calls for a holistic security strategy and justice for victims of the Plateau killings. As investigations intensify, Nigerians watch closely, hoping that the Inspector General's promise will translate into swift arrests and lasting peace for the beleaguered communities of Plateau State.