The Plateau state government has imposed curfew in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos South Local Government Areas of the state.
The curfew followed renewed hostility between suspected herdsmen and some residents, leaving scores dead.
Secretary to the State Government, Hon Rufus Bature, in a statement yesterday, said the action was, “to avert a breakdown of law and order.
The curfew takes effect immediately and movement is restricted from 6pm to 6am, except those on essential duties.” In a related development not fewer than 6 people were killed yesterday afternoon at Zawan/Angle ‘D,’ junction along Jos-Abuja road, an eye witness has said.
The source, Alhaji Baba Bala, told our correspondent that he was coming from Abuja, when he saw the mob suspected to be “Berom youths,” blocking the highway and “killed four people there and then.”
Blueprint gathered that victims of the attack were mostly those returning from the just concluded All Progressives Congress National Convention in Abuja.
But it took the intervention of the security operatives to disperse the mob.
The fresh violence started with the alleged killing of five Fulani travellers whose vehicle was reportedly attacked and burnt on Thursday night around Heipang, in Barkin Ladi local government area of the state.
Police Public Relations officer, ASP Tyopev Terna, said security agents have recorded the crime as arson and kidnapping, adding that, “we are searching for the five victims because we have not seen any corpses.” Media Officer of Operation Save Haven (OPSH), Major Adam Umar, said the ambush occurred around Heipang-Railway Roundabout and that the assailants had fled by the time the taskforce arrived the scene.
He said the vehicle and the surviving cow were stationed at the Heipang police station.
Similarly, the Zawan/Angle “D,” junction killing is also alleged to have been another reprisal by the Berom on some villages at Gashish.
The police in a statement quoted the state Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie, to have deployed more personnel, led by ACP Edeh John, to the affected area on a search and rescue, to assess the level of damages.
The statement said: “This is to update members of the public of the situation as regards the attack in Gashish District as promised earlier on.
“Eighty six (86) persons all together were killed, Six people injured, Fifty (50) house burnt, Fifteen (15) motorcycles burnt down and Two (2) motor vehicles burnt down,” Terna said.
Terna further said the corpses were released to the families for burial, adding that the command, had earlier in the day, confirmed only eleven (11) people dead based on the information then at its disposal.
And in his reaction, Governor Simon Lalong, who was in Abuja, quickly dashed to Jos, describing the attacks as the work of “detractors.”
