Lalong imposes curfew over killings of 23 comm.
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has imposed a curfew on Jos North, Bassa and Jos South Local Area commencing 6pm to 6am from today, August 14.
This followed the threat of reprisal attacks after 23 commuters were killed on Rukuba road in Jos north LGA .
This is purely a criminal conduct and should not be given any ethnic or religious colouration. Let us continue to be vigilant and be security conscious and do everything possible to sustain n peace and security of the, Governor Lalong said in a statement.
Attack 23 persons were killed and 23 injured on Rukuba road in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state on Saturday morning. 26 were said to have been rescued unhurt.
The victims were attacked while traveling from Bauchi en-route Jos to Ikare in Ondo state.
The state Governor said attacks on innocent citizens will never be tolerated and that those found culpable would be dealt with decisively.
The spokesperson of Operation Safe Haven, a military task force set up to maintain peace in Plateau State, Major Ishaku Takwa, said 12 persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, while normalcy has been restored in the area. Though the governor later said 20 people are now in custody.
Justice must be swift
President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack.
Describing the attack as a “wicked” assault in a statement, the president said efforts must go towards ensuring that the victims get justice quickly.
“The Presidency condemns the attack earlier Saturday on travellers from a religious event in Bauchi, passing through Jos, the Plateau State Capital and regrets the reported deaths of at least twenty-two persons with several others injured in that ambush on their travelling party,” the statement reads.
