Lalong reveals how Plateau lost N75bn to hoodlums

As governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State continue to grieve over hoodlums’ looting of public and private properties, he said, assets valued at N75 billion were lost to looters.

While interacting with Plateau youths at the Rayfield Government House in Jos on Friday, Lalong disclosed that he ordered a preliminary evaluation of destruction of assets looted.

According to him, the amount was arrived at N75 billion by experts in the destruction and looting of public and private properties in the state.

He stressed the likelihood of the amount being higher than N75 billion, by the time the experts finished the comprehensive evaluation of the total cost of the damage.

“The preliminary report by a team of experts I constituted has estimated the losses to be put at about 75 billion naira for now”, Lalong said.

He told the youths that replacing the structures damaged and those stolen would take many years to come, adding that the youths should always consider the interest of the state in order to build rather than destroy.

Lalong said, “Since coming into power, my administration has remained committed to pursuing the economic development of the state through youth empowerment and job creation.

“You would agree with me that the enormity of the challenges we face cannot be resolved overnight or with a wave of the hand. It is a process that all of us must collectively work together to achieve.”