Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau on Thursday in Abuja assured that the killers of Lazarus Agaie, the first class traditional ruler of Bokkos would soon be exposed.
Lalong stated this in an interview with State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the 76-year-old Saf Ron-Kulere was murdered in July on his way to Bokkos, in Plateau after visiting his farm in Sha District of the area.
Also killed along with the monarch, who had been on the throne for 42 years, were his orderly, Sunday Wuyah, a Police Inspector, his wife, and his son, Shagari.
The governor, however, revealed that security agencies had intensified efforts in their search for the killers of the first class traditional ruler.
“I am hopeful very soon we will unveil those behind the killing of the traditional rulers.
“I have not slept on it and those are the things I have briefed the President.
“We are very vigilant and pursuing those who are behind this, because after a year of peace, someone will come and start executing this kind of thing,
“It is someone that does not wish not only Plateau, but Nigeria well because if that happens, and crisis start again, you will see a lot of spillover crisis in many parts of the country.
“But thank God we are able to control that and to avoid future occurrence we are protecting the state very well.
“Let me reassure that the culprits will soon be fished out,”he added.
The governor expressed the hope that Plateau would continue to enjoy peace as his administration was promoting programmes aimed at ensuring lasting peaceful co-existence among the diverse ethnic and religious groups in the state.
According to him, those running away from the state are now coming back due to the prevailing peace in the state.
“I think the attitude of leadership itself will encourage change.
“You will recall that when I came into office, I inherited crisis, killings every day and the moment I was sworn in after a month, we never heard of any killing in Plateau.
“So, that was confidence restored and we encouraged people to interact, gave everybody a sense of belonging, and there is now peace in the state.”
On agricultural activities in the state, Lalong disclosed that Plateau and Kebbi were competing for rice production, saying that the state would begin to export rice by 2017.
“Like I said, the President is always excited when you give him progress report on agriculture.
“So, the President was excited and had encouraged us to continue to do more.”(NAN)
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