Many people were reportedly feared dead in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State yesterday following the alleged killing of a motorcyclist by thugs around Celebridge, near Tina Junction.
Properties were also burnt at Dutse Uku, Tina junction, Rikkos, Anguwan Rukuba and Farind Gada; where there were sounds of sporadic gunshots by security operatives.
Our correspondent gathered from Mohammed Dahiru, an eyewitness in Dutse Uku, that the killing of the motorcyclist had triggered protests by youths in the area who insisted on vengeance but were later calmed by community leaders.
Dahiru said the motorcyclist had been killed by thugs around Celebridge near Tina junction and that tension had spread to other parts of the city where many were seen rushing back home.
The spokesman of the Operation Safe Haven, Major Adam Umar, told Daily Trust that the unrest was caused by “misguided” youths and hoodlums who took advantage of the situation to loot properties around Dutse Uku, Celebridge and Farin Gada.
He had said the areas were being calmed by personnel of the Special Task Force.
However, later in the afternoon, reports of a clash between students around a village hostel and a community near Farin Gada circulated with reports indicating that some students might have been shot at by security agents.
A student from the hostel, Janet Bako, said: “The students were trying to defend the hostel and students but when security agents got here, they started shooting and some of the students were injured,” she said.
Umar did not answer calls and a text message to that effect, but the Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie, ordered residents of Dutse Uku, Tina junction, Rikkos, Anguwan Rukuba and University of Jos hostels to remain indoors , adding that the police and the army were doing everything possible to quell the unrest in the affected areas.