Two people are said to be dead and another badly injured after mourners clashed with military officers at a checkpoint in Mararaban Jama’a, a neighbourhood in Plateau State’s Jos South Local Government Area.
It was said that the mourners, largely youths, were on their way from the morgue to bury the remains of a recently deceased loved one when they battled with security officers at a checkpoint in the region on Monday morning, June 5, 2023.
According to the Daily Trust, the youths on motorcycles arrived at the checkpoint and were asked to step down. However, the youths ignored the command and instead attempted to plead with the officers.
“When the mourners got to the checkpoint mounted by operatives of the Special Taskforce codenamed Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), responsible for the maintenance of peace in the state, those on motorcycles in their numbers were asked to drop and push their motorcycles, but they tried to tell the security agents that they were on their way for a funeral and shouldn’t be made to follow that protocol,” a source explained.
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The security guards insisted on obeying the order, but the mourners resisted, and when they insisted on passing, the security personnel fired at them.
Three youths were killed in the process. One died instantly, and one of the injured two was declared dead in the hospital where he was being treated.
Angered by the shootings, the youths began demonstrating and set fire to the military truck.
According to another report, following the battle, OPSH operatives reinforced and returned to wreak havoc on the town.
Residents were allegedly chased out of their homes, with houses and vehicles burned and some community members jailed.
A resident of the community who gave his name as Michael Chung said: “It is unfortunate that security operatives, whose constitutional responsibility is to protect the lives and property of citizens, would be involved in such an act.
“These people told you they were going for a funeral, and you saw their outlook, some carrying posters of the deceased and leaves, but you engage in arguments with them; what about the civil-military relations being talked about.
“For me, I didn’t see any reason for argument; they should have just allowed them to pass peacefully for their funeral, and no one would have heard about the burial.”
