Nkereuwem Effiong
Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong says the state has lost N75 billion in both public and private properties to hoodlums in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protest.
Speaking with youths during an interactive session on Friday, the governor stated that the value of the amount was arrived at by experts after taking counts of destruction and looting of the properties.
“The level of destruction and carnage is unbelievable and unacceptable. We are still trying to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the total cost of the damage. However, the preliminary report by a team of experts I constituted has estimated the losses to be put at about N75 billion naira for now,” he said.
Lalong advised the youths to learn to build and not to destroy, noting that it will take the state many years to replace the damaged or stolen properties.
He 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.”