- The disappearance of the travellers had caused apprehension among the residents of Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The Nigerian military has spoken on the circumstance that surrounded the arrest of nine travelers from Bauchi in Jos.
Recall that the nine travellers on motorcycles were reportedly missing in Jos while on their way to Nasarawa State on Saturday for greener pastures. However, the travellers were found on Wednesday in the state.
But the spokesperson of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), a multi-security task force maintaining peace in Plateau State, Captain Oya James, in a statement on Friday opened up on the arrest of the travellers.
He confirmed the arrest of the travellers by the OPSH troops, saying their mode of transportation drew attention from Plateau residents who were worried giving the deepening security crisis in the state.
He said, “On 3 February 2024, troops received calls from well-meaning citizens on movement of a large convoy of persons on motorcycles traversing Jos East on the day of the bye elections in Plateau State. Considering the prevailing security challenges, they were subsequently tracked and taken into protective custody for profiling.
“Following thorough profiling, the travellers were found to be innocent and were released to their family members in less than 48 hours after passing through the necessary security checks.
“Security agencies will not leave anything to chance in exploring legitimate means to track down any activity inimical to security with a view to averting any attempt to unleash mayhem on innocent civilians. We urge the public to continue to collaborate and avail security agencies with credible information that will aid in securing peace loving citizens.”