One killed as mourners, military personnel clash in Plateau

Some residents of Mararaban Jama’a, a suburb in Jos South LGA of Plateau State, heading to burial on Monday morning clashed with military personnel at a checkpoint, resulting in the death of one person and the injury of another.

It was gathered that the mourners were on their way from the mortuary to bury the body of a recently deceased loved one when they clashed with security operatives at a checkpoint in the area.

A source said, “When the mourners got to the checkpoint mounted by operatives of the Special Taskforce codenamed Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), responsible for the maintenance of peace in the state, those on motorcycles in their numbers were asked to drop and push their motorcycles, but they tried to tell the security agents that they were on their way for a funeral and shouldn’t be made to follow that protocol.

“The security personnel insisted they obey the order, while the mourners refused, and when they insisted on passing, the personnel fired at them, and in the process, one person was killed and two others injured.”

A resident of the community who gave his name as Michael Chung, said, “It is unfortunate that security operatives, whose constitutional responsibility is to protect the lives and property of citizens, would be involved in such an act.

“These people told you they were going for a funeral, and you saw their outlook, some carrying posters of the deceased and leaves, but you engage in arguments with them; what about the civil-military relations being talked about? “For me, I didn’t see any reason for argument; they should have just allowed them to pass peacefully for their funeral, and no one would have heard about the burial.”

It was also gathered that in the process, a vehicle belonging to the security personnel was set ablaze.

Another thing we were informed was  that after the clash, OPSH operatives reinforced and returned to unleash mayhem on the community.

Residents were reportedly pursued out of their homes, with houses and vehicles destroyed and some members of the community arrested. Though efforts to get a reaction from the Plateau State Police Command were not successful at the time of filing this report.