25 more suspects arrested in Plateau over curfew violation

No fewer than 25 persons were arrested by soldiers in Plateau State on Wednesday for violating a curfew imposed on the state capital by the state government.

This brings the total number of persons arrested by security agents to 51 since the curfew was imposed in Jos on Sunday, as part of measures to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests and causing mayhem in the state.

The Plateau Police Command spokesman, Alabo Alfred, who confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, commended the youths for complying with the curfew imposed by the government.

“However, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbemiga Adesina, expresses disappointment at the way certain youths flagrantly disregarded government directives by coming out of their residences to attack armed policemen at Yen Tire market and other parts of Jos North LGA.

“The Command wishes to reiterate that the decision of the State Government to impose the curfew is in the best interest of all Plateau residents; hence, we will ensure that this directive is fully complied with,” Alfred said in a statement.

The police spokesman explained that the commissioner, alongside heads of other security agencies, had carried out an on-the-spot assessment and surveillance patrol of the nooks and crannies of the state capital to ascertain the level of compliance.

He said that during the outing, 26 suspects were arrested for non-compliance with the curfew and attempting to burgle people’s shops to loot their wares.

“Additionally, on 07/08/2024, 25 suspects were arrested by the STF operatives for similar crimes and handed over to the Plateau State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation,” the statement added.

He said the suspects had been investigated and charged to court accordingly.

“Again, the Plateau Police Chief wants to use this medium to sternly warn against the brandishing of foreign flags in any part of the state, stressing that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and anyone caught indulging in such a treasonable act will be apprehended and prosecuted accordingly.

“The Plateau State Police Command is committed to ensuring the safety of lives and property and will not condone any form of looting, vandalisation, or any act capable of truncating the fragile peace on the Plateau.

“We call on all Plateau residents to report any suspicious activity around them to the police control room emergency,” it added.

The PUNCH reports that the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, had on Wednesday relaxed the 24-hour curfew earlier imposed on Jos, noting that residents in the affected Jos and Bukuru metropolis can now move freely between 2 pm and 6 pm daily until further notice.

The governor urged residents within the Jos-Bukuru metropolis to cooperate with security personnel and report any suspicious activities for prompt action.