Jos crisis: I’ll match machine gun for machine gun — STF Commander

Major General Augustine C. Agundu, the Commander of the Special Task Force in charge of the military formation manning the security situation in Plateau State, on Wednesday threatened to deal decisively with the perpetrators of the Jos crisis and their merchants.
Agundu made threat during the second edition of the Plateau Youth Summit, organized by Operation Safe Haven in collaboration with Civil Military Relief Initiative, holding at the Hill Station Hotel in Jos.
He expressed disappointment with actions and inactions of the Plateau youths and their leaders to find a lasting solution to the lingering crises in the state that has lasted close to two decades.
He said he kept wondering why if the Civil War in Nigeria would end in 36 months and nobody talk about it, Plateau people could not sit as one family to resolve their differences rather than indulging in reckless killings and destruction of lives and properties.
Agundu faulted the actions of some elders of the state, alleging they have been instigating the youths in the name of “we are defending our land”.
Stressing that if the youths will not realize that the elderly are blocking their future as future leaders and allow themselves to be used as warriors, he will drop his civil approach and adopt military style against them.
He said: “Some of the speakers, including the Gbong Gwom Jos, have spoken to you about tolerance and I want to add that you have to realise that these people who are using you to cause mayhem may not be alive in the next 20 years and you will become elders yourselves and what will you be telling your children.
“I am not supposed to be talking to you like this.
“I am supposed to assemble you and flog you.
“But we are here to make peace, but if you people will continue with the constant attacks, I promise you, I will match you machine gun to machine gun.
“The last time in Miyango, some miscreants killed over 100 cows and it was not as if the cows had caused any havoc.
“And when we got the information, we went there.
“We asked the community leaders to produce the perpetrators, but they were not willing to cooperate with us.
“And we swung into action and I assure you that those that have been arrested in connection with the act will face the full wrath of the law.”