At least one person has been confirmed dead, while several buildings
were burnt down at Naraguta village, Jos North LGA of Plateau State
during the clash between encroachers on land belonging to the University
of Jos
Our correspondent gather that the incident occurred on Saturday
morning when a combined security operatives stormed the area to demolish
illegal houses built on the University land.
Spokesperson of the Plateau State Police Command, ASP Ubah Gabriel
who confirmed the incident said one person was killed while four houses
were burnt.
Burnt houses
He disclosed that the police was on top of the situation and said investigation was ongoing to bring the perpetrators to book.
However, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN,
Jos North Local has disagreed with the figure given by the police and
stated that “10 churches and some vehicles were burnt down in Naraguta
village settlement dominated by Christians.”
The CAN chairman Rev. Canon Nenman Isa Gowon in a statement, said
they cannot continue to suffer such a loss every time there is clash on
that land and called on the authorities and security agents to rise to
the ocassion.
He said; “We are again being attacked in Jos North by some claimed
Muslims community who took over the land belonging to the university of
Jos. These people came at around 11:30am today 22-02-2020 and burnt down
at least ten Christians houses in Naraguta villages a village
settlement dominated by Christians and a church and some cars.
” We want to make it clear to the government and security agents that
while we continue to obey law and order, we want to call on them to
bring these known persons to book or we will be forced to prosecute
those who are saddled with responsibility to care for lives and
property.
“We cannot continue to be at a lost. I repeat we cannot continue to
be at lost. These persons are known by the security personnel and the
university whose land have been occupied.”
Gowon described burning of the churches and houses and well as three students hotel as unfortunate.