Travellers Attacked In Jos, 1 Killed, 4 Missing

Some travellers were attacked by irate youths on Saturday night, May 24 at the Rayfield area of Jos, Plateau State, shortly after the blast which killed three.

A suicide bomber was transporting bomb but it went off before he could reach his destination, a viewing center where hundreds gathered to watch a football game, European Champions League final (Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid).

One person was killed during the attack while four others are missing.

According to report, the victims were residents of Gude village in Akwanga LGA of Nassarawa State and were on their way back from a Maulud event in Gombe State.

Recounting what happened, one of the survivors, named Bashir Abdulkadir said they had arrived Jos at about 9.30pm but were stopped by security personnel at the Bauchi Ring Road who said there had been a bomb explosion within the city and so they could not go in through Bauchi Road.

They also met other stranded passengers in vehicles and then one security man suggested they take the Bauchi ring road route which leads to British America Junction.

Their driver, Uba Tanko, mistakenly, followed Lamingo road and that was how they fell into the hands of some Berom youths who blocked the road, hit their vehicle and asked them to come out of the car.

"They started beating us all over and we dispersed into the bush and some of us jumped into a stream close by and they killed our driver as he could not run because he had a problem with his leg.

"I jumped into a stream but I was unable to escape. They caught me and continued to beat me. One of them used a catapult at close range and broke my tooth. They even decided to lynch me with a tyre but some men who arrived in a military vehicle rescued me," Bashir said.

They were arrested by the soldiers and evacuated to a police station close to the Air Force headquarters.

Confirming the incident, the spokesman for the Special Task Force (STF), Captain Ikedichi Iweha said, "There were skirmishes around Rayfield Resort which the timely intervention of our personnel rescued. One person was killed and we made some arrests and handed them over to the police for prosecution."

Meanwhile, Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe, said he was not aware of the incident except skirmishes around Lamingo road and the matter was still under investigation.