The Plateau State Police Command yesterday confirmed the death of 22 persons in the violence that broke out on Rukuba Road in Jos, when aggrieved Irigwe youths attacked a convoy of five buses conveying some Muslim faithful who were heading to Ikare, Ondo State from the Annual Zikr prayer in Bauchi State.
For two days before the incident, Irigwe youths had announced that they would be conveying the corpses of their slain members for burial in Bassa yesterday.
They had set out in a convoy for the burial on yesterday morning when the incident occurred along Rukuba Road.
Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, Gabriel Ubah, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said: “On 14/08/2021 at about 0928hrs, the Plateau State Police Command received a distress call that a group of attackers suspected to be Irigwe youths and their sympathisers along Rukuba Road of Jos North LGA attacked a convoy of five buses with Muslim faithful who were coming back from the Annual Zikr prayer in Bauchi State and heading to Ikare in Ondo State.
“Unfortunately, twenty-two (22) persons were killed and fourteen injured in the attack.
“Upon receipt of the report, a team of police personnel, the military and other sister agencies were immediately mobilised to the scene where seven victims were rescued and six suspects arrested.
“The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Edward Egbuka, along with the GOC 3-Division, Major General Ibrahim Ali, also visited the scene and ordered for a discreet investigation to fish out other perpetrators of this barbaric act at large.
“Normalcy has returned to the area.
“The CP warned that those that perpetrated this dastardly act and others that incited it will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“The Command urges the public to remain calm and to furnish the police with useful information that will aid the investigation that a group of attackers suspected to be Irigwe youths and their sympathisers along Rukuba Road of Jos North LGA attacked a convoy of five buses with Muslim faithful who were coming back from the Annual Zikr prayer in Bauchi State and heading to Ikare in Ondo State.”
