BY TAYE OBATERU
Jos — A 24-hour curfew has been imposed on Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State following the outbreak of fresh hostilities between Fulani herdsmen and natives on Wednesday night which left no fewer than 12 people dead.

Several houses and other property were razed in the violence which raged from Wednesday night till Thursday.

The curfew, which was confirmed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Abraham Yiljap, followed the tension generated by the killings as natives barricaded Barkin-Ladi-Mangu highway for several hours making it impossible for vehicles to pass.

Many travellers on either side had to turn back after being trapped in the gridlock for several hours as security agencies struggled to restore normalcy.

The latest hostilities is believed to be a fallout of Sunday night’s killing of three people which resulted in reprisal killings of five people on Monday.

It was learnt that no fewer than 60 people had been arrested over the incident.

Confirming the development, Yiljap told journalists that:”There was a disturbance in Barakin Ladi last night, which continued this morning, but the situation is under control, However a 24-hour curfew has been imposed in Barakin Ladi and adjoining areas and security is all over the local government to curtail the escalation of the situation.”

He appealed for calm as efforts are intensified to restore normalcy to the area lamenting the outbreak of fresh hostilities despite sustained effort by government to bring it to an end.