Plateau violence spreads; curfew declared in three local govts

The Plateau State Government has imposed a dusk to down curfew in three local government areas of the state, following escalation of the Barkin Ladi violence to Jos South Local Government Area, Sunday afternoon.

A statement by the Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Rufus Bature, said the curfew is to prevent further loss of lives.

“The Plateau State government has imposed curfew in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos South to avert a breakdown of law and order,” Mr Bature stated.

“Movement is restricted from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., except those on essential duties.”

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that some persons protesting the killings in Barkin Ladi, Sunday afternoon, barricaded the Bukuru, Jos express way, smashing vehicles and injuring road users.

The police spokesperson in Plateau, Terna Tyopev, confirmed the protest in Bukuru in a text massage.

He said the police have been deployed to the trouble areas.

“There is a protest against the killing in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau. We have deployed enough personnel to make sure it not turn violent.

We are monitoring it,” he said.

An earlier statement by the Commissioner for Information, Yakubu Dati, said Governor Simon Lalong cut short his journey to the ongoing APC convention in Abuja, and returned to Jos, to monitor development.

According to the press statement, the governor directs all security operatives to immediately curtail the killings.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the killing of mourners in Barkin Ladi on Saturday. While a cleric said about 120 people were killed, the police confirmed 11 deaths.

The cleric blamed the Saturday killing on marauding armed herdsmen.