BY TAYE OBATERU

Jos—Panic has gripped many residents of the Plateau State capital following Saturday’s shooting of two people by a member of the Special Task Force, STF, which left one of them dead.

The deceased identified as Dauda Watley, a security man in the University of Jos, was said to be on his way to work in a commercial cab at about 10.30 am when he met his untimely death.

The shot fired at the driver by the soldier for allegedly driving against the traffic pierced through his (driver’s) shoulder and hit Dauda who was sitting directly behind the driver, on the chest killing him.

The driver was said to have in trying to beat the traffic jam between Miango Junction and Old Airport Junction taken the other side of the dual carriage way and was driving against the traffic when the soldier fired at the vehicle.

The driver is currently hospitalized while the deceased’s body has been deposited at the Nigerian Air Force Hospital mortuary.

Confirming the incident yesterday, spokesman of the STF, Captain Salisu Mustapha said preliminary investigations indicated that the soldier attempted to stop the driver who took one-way while approaching the guard location and had to open fire when the driver tried to maneouver his way instead of stopping as ordered.

He said the driver’s action was suspicious considering the level of insecurity in the country, adding that the soldier has been taken into custody for interrogation.

He urged the people to avoid acts of lawlessness and cooperate with security men whom he said were posted to the state to protect them.

Some residents found discussing the issue around the scene near a place called Channel 7 in Anglo-Jos expressed shock at the development at a time peace was returning to the state.