TheCable

Dachung Bagos, a member of the house of representatives, says the Department of State Services (DSS) often provides intel on the activities of the perpetrators of killings in Plateau.

Bagos, a member representing Jos south/Jos east federal constituency of Plateau, said there is no political will to act on the intel shared by the security agency.

The lawmaker spoke on Tuesday during a media briefing in Abuja.

In the last three months, the north-central state has witnessed a surge in attacks, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people.

“The security agencies receive information on every single movement, especially the DSS. But our problem has always been implementation and execution,” Bagos said.

“The security agencies bring in as much intel as possible but the people that are responsible to execute whatsoever information that the DSS have brought forward is usually the problem and that is why the political will is always the problem.

“That is why most governors said they are no longer the chief security officer. The person that is responsible for executing the report is usually not the governors. So if security agencies will come out with intel on certain movement or certain terrorists groups in different environments and we are not proactive, then definitely we will have the problem.”

The lawmaker added that the killings in the state would only end if the perpetrators are made to face justice.

TheCable had reported that following intelligence reports of possible attacks, Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (IGP), had in May 2021 ordered that the security framework in Plateau be reviewed.

A memo signed by Idowu Owohunwa, principal staff officer to the IGP, conveyed instructions for the commissioner of police in Plateau.

But in the months after the directive was issued, the attacks in Plateau took a brazen dimension.