The Plateau State Government has dismissed reports suggesting that the Department of State Services (DSS) deliberately hindered efforts to respond to recent attacks on communities by gunmen.
In a statement on Tuesday, Secretary to the State Government, Samuel Jatau, described the allegations as “misleading, erroneous, and aimed at causing disaffection and acrimony” between the state and the DSS.
The statement shared on the Facebook page of Plateau State Government refuted social media claims that the DSS seized weapons meant for Operation Rainbow, the Plateau Neighbourhood Watch agency, to prevent its response to the violence.
Jatau said, “Reports monitored on Facebook and other social media handles have a misleading story purporting that the Department of State Services seized weapons procured for the Plateau state neighbourhood watch agency – Operation Rainbow.
“The report further insinuated that the seizure was deliberately done to stall the agency’s response to the recent violent attacks on some communities in the state. We wish to state clearly that this is far from the truth.”
“At no time has the Department of State Services, even in error, stalled or undertaken any action to scuttle government efforts to fight insecurity in Plateau State.
He clarified that the DSS bas been most helpful in trying to safeguard lives and return peace to Plateau.
“To the contrary, the Department has been a most reliable partner and has helped in several ways to assist the state to curb insecurity.”
“The public is, therefore, advised to ignore those reports as they are misleading, erroneous and are aimed at causing disaffection and acrimony between the government of the state and the Department of State Services.”
