The Plateau governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has implored protesters to suspend the #EndBadGovernance demonstration in the state.
The nationwide protest against economic hardship, which began on August 1, has turned violent in certain northern states.
During a state broadcast, Mutfwang urged the youths and other stakeholders to embrace dialogue.
“I assure you, I have heard you clearly. We are in this together,” he said.
“I appeal to you to stay further protests so we can dialogue with your leaders to add value to our thinking and plans for poverty alleviation since we do not possess a monopoly of wisdom.
“As soon as the protests are over, we shall meet with the leaders of the youth groups across the state for further dialogue.
“My dear brothers and sisters, the more we continue with the protests, the more likelihood of it being hijacked by sponsored criminals and hoodlums like we began to notice from Sunday evening.
“Intelligence report at our disposal revealed that the lawful protests have been infiltrated by criminals who were waiting for an opportunity to loot shops, attack and rob innocent citizens of their hard-earned belongings.”
The governor added that the curfew imposed on Jos was imperative.
“We saw the display of foreign flags by some of these criminally minded intruders,” he said.
“So, as a responsible government, we had to take proactive steps to prevent further acts of criminality. Thus, the 24-hour curfew we imposed on Jos-Bukuru metropolis from midnight Sunday.
“The resistance by hoodlums in some parts of the Jos north area from Monday morning till late afternoon proves that our action of imposing the curfew is justified.
“Credible sources have revealed that because of the peace that Plateau is enjoying, merchants of violence invited hoodlums from neighboring states to disrupt the peace in Jos.”
