ThePlateau State Police Command has confirmed the death of 22 persons following the violent clash that took place yesterday between hoodlums along Rukub Road in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident led to the attack of commuters in a convoy of five buses with passengers coming back from Annual Zikr prayer in Bauchi State and heading to Ikare, Ondo State.
The Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka in a press statement in Jos said 14 persons were inflicted with injuries, currently receiving treatment in different medical facilities in the state.
CP Egbuka said: “On 14/08/2021 at about 0928hrs, the Plateau State Police Command received a distress call that a group of attackers suspected to be Irigwe youths and their sympathisers along Rukuba Road of Jos North LGA attacked a convoy of five buses with Muslim faithful, who were coming back from the Annual Zikr prayer in Bauchi State and heading to Ikare in Ondo State.
“Unfortunately, 22 persons were killed and 14 injured in the attack.
“Upon receipt of the report, a team of police personnel, the military and other sister agencies were immediately mobilized to the scene where seven victims were rescued and six suspects arrested.”
The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Edward Egbuka, along with the General Officer Commanding, 3rd Division, Major General Ibrahim Ali, visited the scene and ordered for a discreet investigation to fish out other perpetrators of the barbaric act, now at large.
Egbuka warned that those that perpetrated the dastardly act and others that incited it would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
He urged the public to remain calm and to furnish the police with useful information that would aid the investigation.
Meanwhile, troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have arrested 12 suspected persons in connection with the fresh violence that erupted at Angwan Rukuba road in Jos North Local Government Area of the state. The Commander Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major General Ibrahim Ali in a press statement signed by Major Ishaku Gaji Takwa, Military Information Officer, said the violence led to the death of some commuters in the area while several others sustained injuries.
Reacting to the fresh violence, Governor Simon Bako Lalong warned those bent on fomenting trouble in the state to desist, stressing that the government would not allow any form of lawlessness disrupt the peace of the state.
While commiserating with the families of those affected, the governor assured all law abiding citizens that security had been beefed up around the area as well as the entire metropolis to forestall further breach of the peace.
