Curfew in Bokkos as police trail monarch’s killers
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has ordered DIG operations Joshach Habilla to proceed to Plateau state to bring killers of Chief Lazarus Agaie, the traditional ruler of Bokkos, who was murdered on his way from a farm alongside his wife, son and Police orderly. A statement on Thursday from police spokesman DCP Don Awunah said the IGP promised that those behind the gruesome murder of the monarch would be fished out in record time for prosecution. Awunah said the IGP described the murders as painful but advised against reprisal attacks, noting that aggrieved parties should await the outcome of police investigation. “IGP Ibrahim Idris said the Nigeria Police will leave no stone unturned in arresting the culprits, but need the collaboration of everyone with useful information, without overheating the already tensed insecurity challenges the country is going through,” he added.
Meanwhile, a 24-hour curfew has been imposed on Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State where six persons were yesterday killed following an altercation between youths in the community and soldiers as well as an attack on the community’s police station.
Daily Trust reports that a clash between soldiers of Operation Safe Haven with youths of the community who barricaded the entrance/exit road had led to the killing of four persons.
The incident occurred after the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Operations Habila Joshak and the senator representing Plateau Central, Joshua Dariye had visited. Our correspondent gathered that as soon as the two dignitaries left, youths of the community attacked the police station, killed two detainees and released others.
Police Public Relations Officer ASP Tyopev Mathias Terna said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.
Angry youths had blocked the main entrance to the community as early as 8 am yesterday as they continued to demonstrate the assassination of the Saf Ron Kulere, Lazarus Agai who was on Monday killed along with two of his family members and an aide.
Operation Safe Haven Media and Information Officer, Captain Ikedichi Iweha said the soldiers had extracted one of the Ardos whom youths in Bokkos had attempted to lynch, adding, “They insisted that troops hand over their weapons, which the troops refused. We also extracted a Fulani Ardo they were trying to lynch, so they started saying that we are taking sides with the Fulani.”