Sports minister calls for state of emergency in Plateau, Zamfara, Benue

The minister of youth and sports development,

Dalung expressed his take on the states experiencing incessant killings while speaking to state house correspondents in Abuja, Nigeria's federal capital.

The minister blamed the collapse of local government administration on the inability of of the security agencies to end the attacks and bring the killers to book in the affected states.

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While calling on the federal government to declare state of emergency in the states, Dalung also said there is a need for collaboration between all tiers of government in finding a lasting solution to the crisis in the states.

Here's what Dalung told journalists about killings in Plateau and Benue

“Collapse of local government administration has contributed immensely to the inability of the security personnel to arrest the problem.

“The Plateau crisis can be traced to many years of inaction by previous and current administrations despite the federal government’s efforts to address the problem.

“It is disheartening that Plateau state has been witnessing killings of innocent citizens in the last four to five days and this is very annoying and disturbing to the government and inhabitants of the state.

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“It has become imperative for the federal government to declare state of emergency in Plateau and other troubled states across the country so as to put a stop to the killings.

“Security personnel alone cannot achieve much in addressing the problem without the support and cooperation of the state and local governments as well as the local communities.

“There is the need for collaboration between all the three tiers of government, the local communities and Youth Councils in order to find a lasting solution to the crisis,” the minister said.

Dalung, who is from Plateau and not on good terms with the state governor, Simon Lalong, added that he has alerted the federal executive council on the need to take “drastic and emergency measures” to tackle the crisis .