3 hours ago
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Residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, have appealed to Governor Caleb Mutfwang to lift the curfew he imposed on Jos North Local Government Area following an attack on Gari Yawaye in Angwan Rukuba community of the council on March, where over 30 persons were killed and several others injured.
In the aftermath of the devastating attack, Mutfwang had, during a statewide broadcast, announced the imposition of a 48-hour curfew which was later relaxed to 7am to 3pm at the expiration of the initial two-day lockdown.
However, some residents have cried out to the governor to consider lifting the curfew or further reducing the time frame as their livelihoods and economy are being affected.
Jos North is the commercial nerve of the state where many businesses, including banks, markets, and other important ventures are located.
The residents believe the curfew has not only impacted their movements but affected their businesses and livelihoods.
Some of the affected residents, who made the appeal on social media, asked the governor to also consider their plight, even as they agreed that security is a paramount responsibility of the government.
They, however, begged that they be allowed to go about their legitimate businesses, while calling on the government to deploy more security personnel to flash points within the state to checkmate any breakdown of law.
Read some of the pleas below:
“On behalf of the good and peace-loving people of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, I, Hon. Nura Ahmad, plead with our hardworking and amiable Governor, His Excellency, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, to consider lifting the curfew in the council or extending the present period of 7am to 3pm.
“This appeal is necessary because we have been exposed to hardship as a result of the curfew. Sir, as you are aware, Jos North is the commercial capital of Plateau State, and due to this curfew, our businesses and livelihoods have suffered significantly.
“I know that the security of lives and properties of the people is paramount and of utmost importance to you but at the same time, the livelihood of persons, especially taxpayers in the state, is equally important.
“So His Excellency, I suggest that more security personnel should be deployed to identified flash points and affected communities while the curfew is either lifted or extended.” – Hon. Nura Ahmad
“This curfew should be lifted because, to me, it has achieved its purpose. The innocent people are now made to suffer for the sins of a few useless and misguided criminals. Our businesses are seriously affected. Over the last week, I have not reached 50k, an amount I used to make within two to three hours a day. Please Gov. Mutfwang hear our pleas and call off the curfew.” – Anayo Eze
“I support the clamour that the curfew should be lifted or at most, the hours should be extended. We are not finding things easy with the rush. I have a shop at Terminus and by the time I get there say around 9am, before you know it, by 1.30 or 2pm, you are already packing up so as to beat the curfew. And that is supposed to be the peak business period. It is no longer funny.” – Clement Adegbite
“I support Hon. Nura Ahmad that the Governor should call off the curfew as it is no longer necessary. What he should do is to increase security in the affected areas. This curfew is like punishing the innocent people for the sins of a few criminals.” – Ukasha Buhari
“My family and I are really suffering as a result of this curfew. I am a trader at the Farin Gada vegetable market but since this curfew, things have been very difficult. In the first two days of the curfew, I lost my goods worth over N1 million because my customers could not come to the market to buy. Since then, things have been dull and we are really suffering. Gov. Mutfwang please pity us.” – Kaneng Matthew
Plateau: Jos North residents cry out as curfew takes toll on livelihoods
