Jos – The Plateau Police Command announced on Thursday in Jos that the ban on TV viewing centres in Jos was still in force and warned operators against flouting the order.

Mr Emmanuel Abu, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, said that the ban had not been reviewed, and stated that defaulters would be dealt with “decisively’’, if they were caught.

The police and the Special Task Force (STF) maintaining peace had banned viewing centres after discovering that they had become targets of terrorist attacks.

NAN particularly recalled that some people were killed and many others injured in separate attacks on four viewing centres between April and June, prompting the ban.

Abu, however, said that the ban would be reviewed when the security situation in the metropolis improved, and denied knowledge of any centre that was flouting the order.

“We have no report of any disobedience, but we shall start checking some of the viewing centres now that European nations have resume soccer action.

“Already, the Police Commissioner has directed all Divisional Police Officers to monitor their vicinities to ensure that the directive is complied with by operators in view of security challenges in Plateau.’’

Some of the operators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that they had “a way of agreeing with the police officers in spite of the ban’’.

Capt. Salisu Mustapha, STF spokesman, who also spoke on the matter, told NAN that the ban was still in force.

“We have not announced a reversal and I shall be surprised if anyone flouts the order because it is in the interest of the public,’’ he said. (NAN)