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Four killed in Plateau protest as government imposes curfew

By Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi, Jos
22 July 2016   |   2:46 am
The orgy of violence returned to Plateau State yesterday when four youths, who were protesting against the murder of their paramount ruler, the Saf Ron Kulere, Lazarus Agai and three of his family members, were allegedly shot to death...
Law enforcement agents stationed in the towm

Law enforcement agents stationed in the towm

The orgy of violence returned to Plateau State yesterday when four youths, who were protesting against the murder of their paramount ruler, the Saf Ron Kulere, Lazarus Agai and three of his family members, were allegedly shot to death by security operatives in Bokkos Local Council.

Following the killings, the Plateau State government has placed the tension-soaked communities under a 24-hour curfew to prevent an escalation of the crisis.The shooting and killing of the four youths coincided with the visit of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of operations, Mr. Joshak Habila, who came on behalf of the Acting Inspector-General to commiserate with the people of Bokkos over the unfortunate murder of the paramount ruler.

Habila had appealed to the youths to sheathe their swords, emphasizing the need not to take laws into their hands, as two wrongs do not make a right. He gave the assurance to the aggrieved residents that the police headquarters would be deploying more Criminal Investigative Department (CID) personnel to Bokko to unravel the circumstance that led to the brutal killing of their monarch.

According to him, the helicopter conveying him back to Abuja would return immediately for an aerial surveillance in Bokkos area, and the state governor, Simon Bako Lalong, has promised to fuel the helicopter for as long as it stays.But in resolute defiance, the rampaging youth blocked a road in the area in protest of the monarch’s killing and an attack that occurred on Wednesday night.

Soldiers, serving with the Special Task Force on Jos crisis, opened fire on the protesters. Seven people were reportedly shot but four died instantly yesterday, while three others sustained varying degree of injuries and are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

While the personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) known as the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) were protecting one of the Ardos (Fulani leaders) to a safe haven, the youths insisted that the Ardo should be released to them for lynching, but the security operatives shot at the protesters to disperse the angry youths.

The Senator representing Plateau Central in the national assembly, Chief Joshua Dariye, who was shedding tears at the Saf Ron Kulere’s palace, appealed to the youths to be civil, while urging the state government to set up a special panel to unravel the unfortunate circumstance.

Imposing the curfew yesterday, the Secretary to the State Government, Rufus Bature, said the measure became imperative in order to prevent the prevailing situation from escalating into a full-blown crisis.

Since the death of the traditional ruler on Monday, people in Bokkos, especially the youths, have embarked on daily protests looking for herdsmen whom they perceived to have killed their monarch. The protest spread to Jos yesterday where another group of youths staged a protest in solidarity.

Bature advised the youths to cooperate with the security operatives as they work to unravel the mystery behind the assassination. However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Tyopev Terna, said the police was on top of the situation.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Rev. Yakubu Pam, condemned the gruesome murder of the monarch, describing the action of his murderers as devilish.

Pam, in a statement issued to newsmen in Jos yesterday, noted with pain the sad news of the killing of a devoted Christian monarch in Plateau State, just barely few weeks after another traditional ruler was murdered in the same locality.

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