Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has declared that his administration and security agencies will do everything possible to avert a religious crisis in the state.
The state chief executive visited hospitals where many injured in recent attacks in the state were being treated.
He also toured places in Jos, the state capital, which were affected in the skirmishes.
Three students of University of Jos were feared killed, two others declared missing in an attack on commuters on Rukuba Road on Saturday, which culminated in the killing of over 20 travellers.
A curfew has been imposed on Jos after the attacks.
The state was engulfed in crisis in the 2000s that left tellings scars on it.ADVERTISEMENT
Governor Lalong accompanied by his Deputy, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, cabinet members and security chiefs visited the Bingham University Teaching Hospital Jos where victims of the Rukuba Road and other attacks were being treated.
He also visited a Redeemed Christian Church of God at Bauchi Road which was partially torched by hoodlums before the community rose to defend the worship centre.
Governor Lalong was equally at Plateau Specialist Hospital where he was told that most of the patients were responding to treatment.
Weeks ago, there attacks in Bassa and Riyom with many casualties.
Speaking with reporters, Lalong condemned the attacks which he said were perpetrated by criminal elements.
“These are clear acts of criminality. The criminals’ intention is to take us back to the era of religious crisis. But by God’s grace we are on top of it. We will not allow religious crisis in this state any longer,” he said.
“This time around, we will deal with people found guilty, both from the Bassa attacks and this one in Jos. We don’t want to allow this kind of thing again to come back to Plateau State.”
President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke called on the Federal Government to take preemptive measures to forestall another crisis in Jos.
He spoke in a statement released by his media office, condemning the killing of travellers in the city.
Comrade Jeremiah Matthew Dalong, chairman National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), UNIJOS chapter, called on the federal government and the university authorities to send food to the students stranded in the hostels or evacuate them.
Dalong spoke in the aftermath of the attack on the students over the weekend, saying about five of them were being treated in hospitals.
The Northern Elders’ Forum condemned the killings, but called for restraint among communities.
This was contained in a statement issued by the forum’s Director of Publicity and Advocacy Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed yesterday in Abuja.
Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu assured relatives of those killed in Jos that the perpetrators would be arrested.
Governor Akeredolu spoke through his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who led a delegation to the Hausa community in Ikaram Akoko, Akoko North West Local Government to douse tension over the killings that occurred along Rubuka Road, Jos.
The Special Task Force, codenamed Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) warned youths planning a protest today to shelve the idea, saying such an exercised might exacerbate the tense situation in the state.
The warning was handed down in a statement by the Military Information Officer, Major Ishaku Takwa.
The OPSH said everyone should give peace a chance.