The Special Task Force (STF) said what happened Sunday was not an attack on the burial scene as alleged in some quarters , rather it was a sporadic shooting on the hills surrounding the village which was beyond the effective range of rifles.
The Media and Information Officer of the STF Captain Salisu Mustapha said shooting was aimed at causing panic which unfortunately the perpetrators achieved their motives. He further explained that troops of STF did not run on hearing the gun shots as alleged.The spokesman said the Platoon Commander DSP Suleiman Kabiru managed the condition effectively which was testified by some honest eyewitnesses.
Mustapha said when Senator Dantong slumped, it was the STF troops alongside his brother that rushed him to the hospital adding that late Dantong reached the Barkin Ladi hospital alive and conscious and did not die at scene alleged by some people.
“I would like to use this opportunity, to clarify an issue which most people are not aware of. STF by composition is made up of personnel from the military, DSS and NSCDC. It is not made up of only soldiers. The DSP and other mobile men that were at the scene are personnel of the STF and were deployed there STF. This is to contradict earlier statement made (by) some”, he said.
Mustapha pointed out that “the attention of the STF has been drawn to the conflicting reports by some section of the media on the unfortunate incident that occured on Sunday, 8 July, 2012 in Barkin Ladi / Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau state”.
He however, assured that the STF and other security agencies are on the quest of search for the perpetrators with the view to bringing them to justice .He insisted that concerted efforts are being put in place to ensure the perpetrators are nabbed and brought to justice.
