From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Plateau State Police Command has said it had curtailed the skirmishes that erupted in the restive Mangu Local Government Area, and normalcy has been restored.
The skirmishes led to the declaration of a 24-hour curfew by Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, said the trouble started as a result of a misunderstanding between a Fulani herder and one of the locals over right of way.
Alabo, who spoke with the Daily Sun at the old Government House, Jos, yesterday, as his helicopter was taking off for aerial surveillance of Mangu, said police men had been deployed to the area and normalcy had been restored.
He also dispelled reports that lawmakers, who converged on the Government House to resume legislative duties were teargassed.
He said: “As you can see, we are about to go on an aerial surveillance. The situation has been taken care of and normalcy has been restored to the area.”
Special Adviser on Security, Gakji Shipi, also corroborated the assertion of the police spokesperson.
He said the misunderstanding was between two residents, which led to sympathisers from the two sides taking sides.
According to him, it was a little argument that snowballed into fisticuffs before it was brought under control.
“The Fulani herder was shepherding his cow across the road when he blocked it. He was challenged by a local and the supporters of the feuding parties gathered and the matter escalated,” he said.
Shipi, however, said the situation had been controlled, stressing it had no political undertones as insinuated from some quarters.