•30 poltical parties threaten LG poll boycott as govt assures residents
From Sola Ojo and Noah Ebije, Kaduna and Gyang Bere, Jos
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Jos, Bukuru metropolis, to curb tension in the state.
The curfew was consequent on alleged negative reaction on agitation of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South East which permeated the state.
A signed statement by Director of Press and Public Affairs, Emmanuel Nanle, said the curfew is from 6:00pm to 6:00am.
Nanle said “the governor expressed great dismay and shock at the sudden build-up of tension in Jos metropolis, on account of the conduct of some disgruntled elements, who have decided to throw the metropolis into confusion on account of their negative reaction to IPOB agitation in the South East…
“The deployment of security personnel to all flash points within the metropolis has also been directed to ensure compliance with the curfew order and to avert any further breach of law and order.”
Meanwhile, as Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) prepare to conduct local government election in the state, 36 out of the 38 registered political parties have threatened to boycott political activities organised by the electoral body.
The state government has, however assured residents there is no cause for alarm.
Regardless, aggrieved parties have accused the electoral body of not carrying them along as relevant stakeholders and have demanded a realistic time table for the local government election.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, yesterday, Chairman of the aggrieved parties, under the umbrella of Joint Leadership of Opposition Political Parties, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, accused the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai of exhibiting a non-chalant attitude towards the conduct of the election.
The aggrieved political parties include; Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Kaduna State Coalition of Political Parties (KCPP) and Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP).
Meanwhile, there was palpable tension in Jos, capital of Plateau State when residents of Katako, Chobe Junction, Apata and Masalacin Juma’a axis of Jos North Local Government Area were thrown into confusion.
Daily Sun gathered that an incident occurred at about 5:30pm in Katako market where one of the traders was alleged to have been beaten and machetes by a group of youths suspected to be “Sara Suka” boys which triggered reaction from the traders.
Another version of the story was that Hausa people were being killed in Anambra State, while Igbo people in Katako market, dominated by the Hausa, closed their shops and fled the place in fear.
The action triggered reaction in several communities in the state capital, coupled with the past experience of how violence claimed dozens of lives in the state started in 2001 and 2010.
Daily Sun gathered that traders at Katako, Chobe Junction and Ahmadu Bello Way Jos, Masalacin Juma’a, Delimi Junction and the Terminus market hurriedly closed down their shops to avoid been caught in the confusion that was fast transforming into violence.
Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) of Plateau State Police Command, ASP Tyopev Matthias Terna, said the confusion in the state capital was as a result of rumour peddling by some individuals who alleged Hausa people were being killed in Anambra.
He noted that Igbo traders in Katako were apprehensive, and hurriedly closed their shops, to leave the scene before they being attacked.
ßecause of the grievous nature of the rumour.
Terna told Daily Sun on phone that the
abrupt manner in which some of the Igbo close their shops led to the running of residents in the area and urged the citizens to be calm as security personnel have be deployed to the affected areas.
Information and Media Officer of the Special Task Force in charge of internal security in Jos and neighbouring states, Captain Umar Adams, attributed the commotion to hate speech by some individuals.
He said the task force has deployed its personnel to the affected area to restore calm and peace, saying they are battle ready to dealt with groups and individual who would want to take advantage of the situation to unleash terror on innocent persons.