Jos streets deserted as residents observe curfew

The streets of Jos, the Plateau capital, are deserted as residents observe the curfew imposed by the state government on Sunday.

The curfew was imposed by the governor, Jonah Jang, following the deteriorating security situation after the deaths of a senator, Gyang Dantong (Plateau North) and Gyang Fulani, Majority Leader, Plateau House of Assembly.

The duo, according to Henry Ayoola, the Commander, Special Task Force (STF), slumped and later died at the Barkin Ladi General Hospital, when unknown gunmen attacked them at a burial.

A member of the House of Representatives, Simon Mwadkon, who also slumped, was however, revived at the hospital.

The curfew covers the four local government areas of Jos North, Jos South, Barkin Ladi and Riyom.

The city and its environs have been totally abandoned and residents remained indoors.

Fierce-looking security men have taken over the highways to enforce the curfew.

At the Secretariat Junction, in Central Jos, defaulters were turned back, while some were punished for being on the streets while the curfew was in place.

The STF spokesman, Salisu Mustafa, said the curfew would be relaxed later in the afternoon “if the security situation improved”.

He held that normalcy has been restored in the areas attacked during the weekend, and that reinforcement had been sent to the volatile areas.

The curfew was initially from dusk to dawn, but was reviewed Monday morning to 12.30 p.m.