Violent protests,
yesterday, rocked Plateau State Government House, Jos, following last weekend’s
killing of over one hundred persons in three local government areas of the
state. The otherwise peaceful protests turned violent when no government
official came out of their offices to address the protesters.
The protests came on a
day the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, called on communities in the region
toarise and defend themselves against unabated pogrom being launched at
them by herdsmen.
This came as former President
Olusegun Obasanjo visited Jos yesterday, and asked the federal and Plateau
State governments to identify the root cause(s) of insecurity and deal with
them, so people could get reprieve from the incessant violence plaguing the
land. President Muhammadu Buhari also yesterday met with Senate President,
Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, with
a promise to re-oganise the nation’s security apparatus to address the herdsmen
crisis in the country once and for all.
The protesters threw
stones, damaging some cars parked at one of the parking lot at the new Government House as well as
some offices. Among the damaged cars were those belonging to two journalists,
Peter Amine of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, and Douglas Francis of Core TV
The
protest
The protesters had
converged on the old airport junction and marched to Government House but were
initially prevented from getting access to the premises. Some of the
protesters, however, climbed the fence of the complex to gain access, forcing
security men deployed to Government House to open the gate.
They had expressed
displeasure at not being received by any government official, even as Mr.
Joseph Lengman, Director, Peace Building Agency, who was detailed to address
the protesters scampered for safety. The situation turned violent when some of
the protesters ran after the fleeing government officials, trying to stop them
from leaving the premises.
Offices of the Chief
of Staff to the Governor, Permanent Secretary, Government House and other top
officials of government were also attacked. The defiant protesters defied all entreaties to stop the protests, and
this compelled security operatives at Government House to start shooting to
scare them away.
They stood their
ground, demanding to see the governor to register their displeasure over the killings as well as his stance
on the ranching policy. At the time of the protest, Governor, Simon Lalong was
out of office, visiting the about 50 victims of the attacks who are currently
receiving treatment at Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH
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