Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Medicine, Maryland University Baltimore, USA, and the Chief Executive Officer, Instituted of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, has totally deplored the recent attacks on communities in Bokkos Local Government Area, where over fifty lives were lost, and properties destroyed, saying the incessant onslaughts on innocent lives in the local government and destruction of properties by assailants are too many which must be stemmed at any cost.
He commended the government and security agencies for their efforts towards bringing lasting peace and swift response to the attacks, and called on them to as a matter of necessity and urgency deploy multiple strategies along side kinetic approach to find lasting solution to the attacks.
Dakum said there is the need to intensify intelligence gathering, early warning signs and swift response to attacks. And above all there is the need for thorough investigation into the incessant attacks to ascertain the causes and approach it in like manner.
He suggested that Bokkos terrains need rapid development particularly good roads and street lights with surveillance cameras mounted at strategic locations to ease the movement of security personnel in times of attacks, and capture the culprits before they strike; adding that the drones the state government intents to deploy, is a good development and should be done as fast as possible.
The Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections added that maintaining the current security approach in tackling the onslaughts will not proffer lasting solutions to the problem; adding that as the rainy season is about ushering in, fire brigade approach to curb further attacks must be improvised to grant farmers the assurance of security of their lives while on their farms to avert food insecurity the coming year.
Dakum called on communities to find a way of holding back attacks before the arrival of security agencies to stem colossal losses of lives at every onslaught.
The former Commissioner of Information and Communication sent his heartfelt sympathy and empathy to all the families of those who lost their love ones in the attacks, the entire local government and Plateau State Government, praying that the Almighty God will grant them and the entire state the fortitude to bear the losses and for the souls of the departed to rest in peace.
Signed:
Shabul Mazadu
Professor Patrick Dakum's Media Consultant
4th April, 2025