Two persons have been feared dead and another critically injured as youths clashed with military officers at a checkpoint in Maraban Jema’a area of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident, which occured on Monday, also caused panic in the area with people running helter skelter.
Also, the highway from Maraban Jema’a to Zerwan Junction, which leads to Jos city was deserted and no vehicle was seen plying it as of the time of filing this report.
Trouble started when mourners who were coming from a mortuary with a corpse and heading for a burial ground got to the checkpoint.
It was gathered that many of the mourners who were youths were on motorcycles and upon reaching the checkpoint, the military asked them to come down from their motorcycles and push it across the spot.
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But the youths did not reportedly heed the instructon, but rather tried to appeal to the officers.
It was learnt that both parties could not come to terms, leading to shootings.
A source from the area told Daily Trust that three youths were shot in the process.
“One died instantly and the other died in the hospital where they were rushed to,” the source said.
Angered by the shootings, the source said, the youths started demonstrating and set the military vehicle ablaze.
Calls and a text message to the spokesman of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Captain John James, were not responded to.
Our correspondent however gathered that women are already mobilizing massively to protest in the area and on the highway.
