Policeman killed, 5 others injured as traders, security agents clash in Jos market

From Jude Owuamanam, Jos.

A clash between traders and security agents at the popular Terminus Market in Jos, Plateau State has left one policeman dead and five others seriously wounded.

Daily Sun gathered that the incident happened, yesterday morning, at the popular Terminus Market in Jos North Local Government Area, where security agents and task force officials have been battling to clear the area of street trading in the past few weeks. The the policeman was part of the task force clearing the market of illegal trading.

Officials of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) have been engaged in clearing Jos city centre of illegal structures. The Plateau State Government had promulgated Executive Order Number 3, which banned the indiscriminate display of wares and goods and entrance of heavy duty vehicles within the business area, known as greater Jos, to ensure a free flow of traffic.

It was gathered that the JMDB officials, along with security agents, drawn from the police civil defence, had gone to effect the order when the traders suddenly went berserk and confronted officials of the board and the security men. In a free for all that ensued between the security agencies and the traders, the police released canisters of tear gas to scare the traders and the hoodlums who were out to resist arrest.

A witness, Ibrahim Garuba, told newsmen that in the process of trying to disperse the crowd, a security man shot into the air and a stray bullet hit one of the policemen, who died instantly, while five of the traders sustained fatal injuries.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo, confirmed the incident. He said investigation has commenced to unravel the root cause of the incident.