By Seriki Adinoyi
Attempts by officials of COVID-19 Task Force in Plateau State to arrest a driver who violated lockdown order and closure of border turned violent at Naraguta area of Jos North Local Government Area as hoodlums in the area descended on Divisional Police Officer, his men and inflicted machete cuts on them.
A source close in the area revealed that the Task Force on patrol arrested a bus driver with passengers from the neighboring Bauchi State who violated the lockdown order, and in an attempt to evade arrest, the driver sped off, forcing the men of the task force to go after him.
According to the eye witness, when the men of the Task Force eventually caught up with him, he ran into a house at Naraguta where he mobilised youths of the area to come against the police.
He narrated that, “The youths suddenly went berserk and descended on the Divisional Police Officer, SP Musa Hassan, his men and other members of the task force on patrol. They macheted the DPO and his men, destroyed police patrol vehicle and also caused commotion in the area.
“The security men had to call for reinforcement which led to the arrest of some of the hoodlums. The driver of the vehicle and some of the passengers escaped while the bus was towed to Nasarawa Police station in Jos North local government.”
The State Police Public Relation Officer, Mr. Ubah Gabriel who confirmed the incident, said the DPO and some of his men were at boarder area at Naraguta when they sighted a vehicle with passengers that followed illegal route into the state and were arrested and in the course of interrogation the youths in the area swooped on the policemen trying to free the violators and inflicted wound on the DPO and some of his men.
He added that the attack on the Police was uncalled for, considering that the driver committed an offence.
