The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the deployment of additional operational assets to Rukuba in Plateau State, and its environs, with a view to restoring public order in the area, in the aftermath of the unfortunate and widely condemned incident of Saturday,14 August.
A statement issued by the Police Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, CP Frank Mba, lists assets deployed to the State to include a Police Surveillance Helicopter, two units of Police Mobile Force, PMF, and two cells of Counter Terrorism Units, CTU.
TheFact Nigeria reports that no less than twenty-five persons were confirmed killed and 23 injured along Rukuba Road in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state on the morning of Saturday, 14 August. The victims were attacked while travelling from Bauchi en-route Jos to Ikare in Ondo state. Following the massacre, Governor Simon Lalong imposed a 24-hour curfew in Jos north Local Government Area, to avoid further breakdown of the security situation in the area.
The surveillance helicopter, manned by operatives of Nigeria Police Airwing, is expected to carry out aerial surveillance and confidence-boosting patrols within the hotspots, in coordinated operations with the ground troops.
The police Chief further disclosed that, thirteen additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident, bringing the total number of arrested persons to thirty-three.
He assured that the NPF is committed to working with other patriotic stakeholders toward restoring public order in Plateau and other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Police Intervention Team, PIT, DIG Sanusi N. Lemu, is already on ground in Plateau, coordinating Police investigative, operational and peace-building response.
