Hoodlums wreaked havoc in the Bukuru area of Jos South Local Government Area in Plateau State on Monday afternoon, setting several cars and houses on fire. The attackers, suspected to be against the Jos City Renewal initiative by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, also injured many passersby.
The violence erupted when officials from the Jos City Renewal Committee arrived to clear a site in Bukuru. The hoodlums resisted and attacked the officials, throwing stones and causing panic among residents. Witnesses reported that the attackers set cars parked along the road on fire and targeted innocent bystanders and homes.
Usman Ibrahim, a resident of Bukuru, described the chaos: “It was around 2 pm when the officials came to mark the site they had cleared before. Suddenly, hoodlums appeared, started throwing stones, and said they wouldn’t allow any project in the area. They began burning cars and attacking people. Everyone started running.”
Quick deployment of security forces helped to prevent further destruction. Residents condemned the actions of the hoodlums and called on the government and security agencies to apprehend those responsible for the violence.
Plateau State Police Command spokesman, Alabo Alfred, confirmed that officers were on the scene and an investigation is underway. “Our men have been deployed to Bukuru. The situation is calm now, and we are investigating the cause of the problem,” he said.
The attack comes after Governor Caleb Mutfwang signed an Executive Order to regulate illegal building constructions and traffic control in the state. The General Manager of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board, Hart Bankat, emphasized the need for this order due to the rampant unauthorized building activities and poor traffic management in Jos.
