Plateau killings: 10 still missing as curfew bites harder

The curfew imposed on Jos North, Jos South and Bassa local government areas by the Plateau State Government is taking its toll on the residents as most of them yesterday complained of running out of foods.

Our correspondent reports that the city centre remains quiet and security personnel including soldiers, police and vigilantes were patrolling along major roads and streets to ensure compliance to the governor’s directive.

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The governor on Sunday afternoon announced the curfew after sensing a possible breakdown of law in Jos metropolis following Saturday’s attack on Fulani travelers that left 27 of them dead and several of them injured. Ten are still said to be missing.

The travellers were on their way back to Ondo and Ekiti states after attending a religious event in Bauchi.

But speaking with Daily Trust on the effect of the curfew in Jos North, Jos South and Bassa local government areas, a resident of Longwa Phase 3, Isaac Abraham, said the curfew is biting them hard and called for its review.

He said beyond the curfew, security should be beefed up across all the communities in the state so that should the curfew be relaxed the needed peaceful result would be achieved.

Another Jos South resident, Chioma Douglas, who resides in Kangang said the lifting of the curfew will even be better because people often live in fear whenever curfew is imposed than whenever it is not.

She said apart from the untold hardship and hunger, curfew has that unexplainable way of instilling feeling of insecurity than safety.

She also called for deployment of more security agents to secure lives and properties, adding that the people should cooperate with the authorities and be law abiding to forestall further violence and bloodshed.

For Ibrahim Usman Ibrahim, said:  “The curfew has affected me seriously because I am not able to meet up with my basic needs to the extent that I have to borrow money from a friend to buy some provisions for the family.’’

Another resident, Ishaq Alhassan, said, “ Though the curfew was announced in good faith but it has not been easy for me staying at home especially with the current economic reality. So, even before now, we always have to go out before we get what we eat. Honestly, it is not easy. We hope that the curfew would soon be lifted to allow us move freely and enjoy our lives.”

Governor Lalong on Monday while visiting some of the affected areas in the wake of the attacks re-iterated that the curfew would remain in force pending security reports on the situation in the metropolis and its environs.

Lalong also visited the victims of the attack at the Plateau Specialist Hospital on Monday.

While monitoring the compliance to the curfew, the governor called on the people to remain peacefully as more security personnel would be deployed, emphasizing that he won’t allow the state to return to religious crisis.

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Chapter of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), on Tuesday, denied any plan of a protest march by a group against the killing of Fulani travellers along Gada-biyu – Rukuba Road, of Jos North LGA of the State.

Daily Trust reports that there has been a circular on social media calling on people to come out for the protest March on Wednesday against Saturday’s attack.

But Barrister Lawan Ishaq, JNI’s Director ICT, in a statement sent to Daily Trust said the circulated release indicating Jos Central Mosque as take the point of the protest was not true.

He called on people in the state to discard the circular.

The council however reiterates its commitments to peaceful co-existence on the Plateau by the teaching of Islam and the perfect example of our Noble Prophet Muhammad S.A.W, calling on all people of goodwill to embrace the Government’s effort of living peacefully with one.