Despite a 24-hour curfew imposed on the Jos/Bukuru metropolis in Plateau State, some irate youths on Monday August 5, trooped out to protest and attempted to loot business premises.
Recall that Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Sunday declared a twenty-four-hour curfew on the Jos/Bukuru metropolis following the unruly behavior of some alleged protesters.
According to the Nigerian Tribune, youths in Bauchi Road, Angwan Togo, Nasarawa, and Dilimi defied the curfew and took to the streets, chanting anti-government slogans. Some were seen marching to the city center and the terminus to loot business premises
In an attempt to stop them, the security agencies clashed with the miscreants, especially in the Dilimi area of Jos North local government, where the combined team of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) and the police had a hectic time repelling them.
However, the situation became increasingly dangerous, with sporadic gunshots heard in the area. Residents hurriedly ran for cover to avoid being hit by stray bullets
There is a heavy presence of security operatives in markets and other business areas within the Jos/Bukuru metropolis to prevent the looting of shops and other business premise
At the Terminus market, men of the OPSH and the police were seen constantly patrolling the highbrow area, including corporate establishments within the city centre
Further checks revealed that while the genuine and peaceful protesters had withdrawn, the miscreants who infiltrated them, especially on Friday and Saturday, continued to wreak havoc in parts of the state capital by snatching people’s bags, among other misdemeanors.
A resident of Nasarawa, Dilimi, stated that the engagement of the security men with the hoodlums was so fierce that they had to lock themselves indoors. He added that they equally had a raw deal at the hands of the miscreants who molested anyone in sight
“In fact, the youths were very unruly. They started by ransacking a popular restaurant in the area. If you’re riding in your car and your window is down, they will put their hands in and steal anything in the car,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Olugbemiga Adesina, said the command has robustly made deployments to various areas within the Jos metropolis and Bukuru to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
The CP in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the command, Alfred Alabo, said that the intelligence report at their disposal suggested that hoodlums are planning to cause mayhem in the state.
He said that it’s clear that the miscreants are on the verge of hijacking the peaceful protest to massively loot shops within the commercial nerve center of the state.
“The Plateau State Police Command is poised to maintain peace in the state and will not allow any person or group of individuals to plunge the state into turmoil,” the statement read.
“It is our constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property and ensure public safety; we are fully committed to ensuring that criminals do not execute their evil plans.”
CP Emmanuel Olugbemiga Adesina, therefore, warned Plateau residents to comply with the state government curfew, as anyone found violating the directive will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the extant laws of the land.
“Our message to the miscreants and mischief-makers is simple: leave Plateau State or be ready to face the full weight of the law as we are all out for you,” he added.
