Military checkpoints return to Plateau after bomb blast

Military checkpoints in Plateau state, which disappeared some weeks ago, have resurfaced in Jos, other towns, as well as major and rural roads in the state, following the July 5 bomb blast that killed 44 and injured 47 people.

It was also observed that joint security teams, comprising fierce-looking soldiers and policemen, conducted thorough searches on vehicles, forcing a return of traffic gridlock that eased off last week.

President Muhammadu Buhari only recently directed the removal of military checkpoints and roadblocks from the highways, although he did say they could be restored to frontline states.

A top source from the Special Task Force (STF) told NAN in Jos that the checkpoints returned to Plateau following an appeal by Governor Simon Lalong.

“The governor, after visiting the scene of last Sunday’s night bomb attacks in some parts of Jos north, had blamed the return of the blasts on the lack of mechanism to check the movements of evil people,” the source said.

After the attacks, Lalong had said: “The absence of the military checkpoints has ensured a free flow of all manners of evil and I call on the President to order that they be restored in Plateau.”

Contacted, Ikedichi Iweha, spokesman of the STF, said that the military checkpoints “never totally disappeared’’ at any time.

The checkpoints did not disappear; we merely reviewed them and collapsed some of them for effective service delivery,” he said.

“But, following what happened, I mean the bomb blasts and their aftermath, we resolved to restore the checkpoints to ease and quicken our response to situations.

“You recall that miscreants took advantage of the blasts to engage in arson and looting. The commander was of the opinion that such would have been averted if checkpoints were nearby. So, he quickly ordered that the checkpoints be restored to respond much better to emergencies in and around the vicinities.”