Buhari Plans Review Of Security Apparatus As Plateau Youths Besiege Govt House To Protest Killings And Other Newspaper Headlines

On Newspaper Headlines today, Against the backdrop of the killings going on in the country especially the massacre witnessed in Plateau State last weekend, President Muhammadu Buhari is planning to overhaul the country’s security setup. This is just as a protest to express the grievances of residents of the state to the wanton killings was hijacked by hoodlums at the government.

THE PUNCH, NATION, VANGUARD, DAILY SUN, INDEPENDENT, GUARDIAN under review make it their top story.  The report has it that Violent protest rocked Jos, the capital of Plateau State, on Wednesday, as residents protesting the killings in three local government areas of the state by herdsmen invaded the state secretariat destroying vehicles and buildings. The protest, which started peacefully, turned violent when youths and women damaged some cars parked at the New Government House in Jos and other offices.

The protesters, who had converged on the Old Airport Junction and marched to the Government House, were initially repelled from getting access to the premises.  Some of them climbed the fence to gain access to the Government House, forcing security agents at the gate to eventually open it. As they failed in their mission of stopping the fleeing officials, the protesters started to throw stones which hit cars and offices including the structure housing the offices of the Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff, Permanent Secretary (Government House) and other top government officials.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari is to rejig the country’s security system, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has said.

The speaker said after a meeting with the President at the Aso Villa accompained by Senate President Bukola Saraki that “The President has taken enough steps and told us what he is doing, especially the reorganisation that he plans to put in place to ensure that this doesn’t  happen again.”

Dogara said President Buhari had already taken enough steps to arrest the deteriorating security situation in parts of the country, adding that he was open to adopting the National Assembly’s measures aimed at addressing the worrisome security situation.