Ethnic nationalities in Plateau State, under the aegis of the Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives, on Sunday raised the alarm over the influx of suspected Boko Haram members into Jos and other parts of the state.

Speaking with journalists after their national emergency meeting in Jos, the President of the group consisting of 58 ethnic nationalities in the state, Prof Aboi Madaki, expressed concern about the development.

He said, “We are worried over the increasing appearance of suspected Boko Haram members on the streets of the Jos metropolis.

“Just last week, a young man was caught by the security agents on the Rukuba Road in Jos. He claimed to have come from Bauchi State. When his bag was searched, all manner of dangerous weapons including improvised explosive devices were discovered.

“When he was interrogated by the security agents, he confessed to be a Book Haram member and that he was not alone as some of their members had also been dispatched to other parts of Plateau State. So, we are worried over this development and that is why we are bringing this out because we don’t want anything to happen to our people.”

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the association called on the government to act fast and nip the evil plans of the insurgents in the bud in the interest of the people.

The communiqué signed by PIDAN president, Madaki and the Secretary General, Nanle Gujor, stated, “The council reviewed the security situation in the country, with particular interest in Plateau State and expressed worries on the following:

“The continued killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in the local government areas of Riyom and Bassa as evidenced by reported deaths of our people including Mr Amos Elisha from Nad community in the Riyom LGA, Mr Raphael Bawa from Dudu, Miango in the Bassa LGA, Sandi Kusa from the Kwall, Bassa and Bitrus Chollom from Kum the Riyom.

“While PIDAN appreciates the peace process put in place by the Plateau State Government, council called on it to redouble its efforts at stopping the continued marauding activities of Fulani herdsmen so as to curb further killings and kidnappings.

The communiqué also expressed concern about the way the state government was handling national livestock transformation programme of the Federal Government.

“Council expressed concern about the inherit inadequacies of the NLTP as it currently exists in the public domain especially its focus on cattle to the detriment of other livestock such as pigs and dogs. The council equally notes with reprieve the government intention to send an executive bill on the programme to the state House of Assembly to provide legal backing for the programme.

“Council hopes that the intended bill will address the concern expressed above. Council further advised the leadership of each association to educate its members on the content of the NLTP as it is presently available in the public domain and await the public hearing session of the executive bill where they would have to make inputs on the usefulness of the programme to their communities.”

Meanwhile, the killing of two motocylists in the Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State on Sunday led to a protest by residents of the area, who disrupted vehicular movements in the area for hours.

The intervention of the state Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, led to the restoration of normalcy in the area later in the day.

It was learnt that the two motorcyclists, while riding along one of feeder roads at Ruwangodiya town, ran into the bandits who killed them.

It was gathered that the bandits had earlier on Friday stormed Kakumi town, where they allegedly demanded N100m as protection fee.

The killing of the motorcyclists, which occurred at 12.30pm on Sunday led to a protest by residents of the Kakumi town who blocked the road passing through the community.

It was learnt that bandits had earlier on Friday evening, attacked the town and allegedly threatened residents of further attacks unless they paid N100m as “protection fees.’’

A resident of the community, who confided in one of our correspondents, said the bandits snatched some telephones when they attacked the community on Friday.

“It was one of the telephones they used in calling some residents to demand N100m protection fee,” the resident stated.

Following the killing of the motorcyclists on Sunday, the commissioner of police mobilised the divisional police officers in the area to the community to pacify the protesters.

The spokesman for the state police command, SP Gambo Isah, who confirmed the incident, said normalcy had been restored to the area while security operatives were also monitoring situation.

He said, “Normalcy had been restored. We have cleared the road blocks and we are monitoring the situation. The commissioner of police directed the DPOs in the area to restore normalcy and they have done that.

“The command is however not aware of any threat to the community by the bandits. Nobody has reported to us that the bandits are demanding certain amount of money from them as protection levy.”