A mob on Friday attacked the Nasarawa State Police command? headquarters in Lafia with stones and bottles? in protest against the alleged disruption of the Muslim Friday (Juma’at) prayers.
An eyewitness said some mobile policemen who were? travelling along Lafia– Makurdi road, allegedly removed the barricade, which the worshippers used to close the dual carriage way forcefully and thus drew the ire of the worshippers. ?
The witness said that the mobile policemen might have been travelling to the eastern part of the country.
According to the witness, resistance by the worshipers prompted the policemen to throw tear gas and clear the road for other commuters to pass through.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest brought activities along Makurdi road to a halt as all shops, banks and the motor park? were hurriedly shut.
?The police public relations officer in the state,? ASP Cornelius Ocholi confirmed the incident.
?He said? shortly after the Friday prayers, the worshippers took to the streets and walked from the mosque to the police headquarters along Makurdi road in protest over the action of the policemen.
Ocholi said the protesters threw stones and bottle into the command in spite of the intervention of the state commissioner of police, Musa Daura who appealed to the protestors against such action.
He said the Police chief had explained to the protesters that the Policemen alleged to have perpetrated the act were not attached to the Nasarawa State command.
The commissioner also told the protesters? that the command was currently conducting an investigation to ascertain what transpired.
NAN reports that the situation caused panic among residents and commuters as most people travelling along the Makurdi-Akwanga road? had to seek alternative routes in the town.
Meanwhile, normalcy had returned to the area and the command on top of the situation.