Rival armed youths on the prowl in Jos •Another 3 killed

THE greater part of Jos, capital of Plateau State, was thrown into confusion on Wednesday  as  rival armed youths took over some major roads within the metropolis, molesting people and in the process killed three of them.

In the early hours of the day, most of the major streets like the Ahmadu Bello Way, Terminus, Murtala Muhammed Way, down to the British America junction and Abattoir Road were deserted following grouping and re-grouping by youths in the areas to unleash mayhem on one another as a result of the crisis.

The entire areas were practically impassable for several hours, with the youth brandishing dangerous weapons and smashing up business premises while innocent people that ran into them were mercilessly maltreated and stabbed.

Along the Abattoir Road, three people were killed in the clash between the rival youth groups, before the intervention of men of the Special Task Force who dispersed them by shooting into the air.

Meanwhile, most residents of Jos have remained indoors for fear of being attacked by the youth who were allegedly carrying out secret killings in some parts of the Jos metropolis while more dead bodies were still being discovered within the city.

In a related development, the national headquarters of the Jama’atul Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS)  said it was still compiling figures of casualties of the attack on the members of the organisation who went to Rukuba Road Eid ground to observe the Eid ul-Fitr prayer on Monday.

Speaking to newsmen at his Sarkin Mangu residence, about 72 hours after the incident, the national chairman of the JIBWIS, Ash Sheikh Muhammad Sani Yahya Jingir, sympathised with the families of those affected, informing that the organisation would made public the number of victims affected in the attack.

The national chairman pointed out that about 200 cars were burnt at the Eid ground, adding that JIBWIS  would seek for compensation for the destruction of lives and property that had been going in the state at the appropriate time.(Nigerian Tribune)