Dozens of Tricycle Riders Scamper for safety over death of 25 travelers in Jos
By Eagle Eye News24
Following the mayhem that engulfed the city of Jos on Saturday there has been palpable fear that has engulfed the state especially in the Rukuba road area of Plateau State as our reporter revealed that dozens of tricycle riders popularly known as Keke Marwa were seen taken cover in one of the areas in Jos for fear of any form of arrest by security operatives shortly after the dastardly act in the city.
Recounting his experience, one of the operators told the Eagle Eye Watch News that they decided to run for their lives because of fear of reprisal attack or molestation from some overzealous security persons who may want to seize the opportunity to apprehend innocent citizens of the state.
”We are taken cover here as a result of what happened today in Rukuba road because soldiers have come to the place and we don’t want to be victims of revenge or arrests”.
As at press time the tricycle riders were still seen taken cover in their dozens scampering over a private residence in Jos while the city was a shadow of itself as most business premises were shut down and other social activities winded up in Tafawa Balewa street,Zaria road,satellite market and Faringada areas of Jos North.
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Recall that about twenty-five persons were confirmed killed and 14 injured along Rukuba road in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state on Saturday morning.
EAGLE EYE WATCH reports that the victims were attacked while travelling from Bauchi en-route Jos to Ikare in Ondo state while other sources revealed that some of the victims were mercenaries imported into the state to occupy unhabited lands in some of the villages displaced by killer herdsmen in Bassa LGA.
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has reacted to the incident in a statement signed by spokesperson Simon Makut.
The Governor condemned the attack and warned troublemakers bent on fomenting trouble in the state to desist as the government will not allow any form of lawlessness to disrupt the peace of the state.
The Governor said that attacks on innocent citizens, no matter their background, will never be tolerated in the State and those who are found to be behind such attacks will be dealt with decisively to serve as deterrent and restore public order.
The statement added that the Governor has also directed security agencies to swiftly identify and arrest perpetrators.
Meanwhile 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.
Similarly the authority in Jos North Local Government Council says it will not tolerate any further attempt from any individuals or groups of persons to disrupt the already established peace and peaceful coexistence of its citizens in the area.
The warning came on the heels of the reported skirmishes around Rukuba road in Jos where some persons were reportedly killed including innocent commuters.
Management Committee Chairman of Jos North LGC Shehu Bala Usman described the act or acts of violence on innocent commuters as unacceptable and indefensible and cautions the inhabitants of the area against the temptations of taking the law into their hands noting that any person or groups found in connection with such attacks shall be dealt with squarely within the armbits of the law.
Usman appreciated the relentless effort of Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state for putting every mechanism in place to ensure prompt attention and reaction to any security breach in the state.
The Chairman commended the police and other law enforcement agencies for their prompt response in averting the escalation of the violence, urging them to put in every efforts to apprehend perpetrators of the heinous act to justice.