A FRESH crisis erupted in Plateau State, Sunday night, prompting the imposition, yesterday, of a curfew on Pankshin, the scene of the crisis.
Meanwhile, the 14 pro-Dariye legislators in the state House of Assembly, yesterday, launched a fresh legal battle to restrain their six anti-governor colleagues fromperforming any legislative function.
The Pankshin crisis was triggered off by a clash between the police and a group of youths that left two persons dead and the divisional police station razed.
Shops and other business places were also looted in the mayhem, creating tension in the town. Vanguard learnt that trouble started when policemen who received adistress call that some armed robbers were operating in a hotel stormed the place and chased the suspects to another hotel where they were alleged to have mingledwith a group of youths holding a party in the hotel.
The ensuing commotion then led to the death of one person who was said to have fallen while trying to scale the fence. In another version of the story, the youthsalleged that the victim was shot by the police. About 25 suspects were later arrested by the police from the scene.
This was said to have angered the youths who mobilised and stormed the divisional headquarters of the police, overpowering the policemen and setting free the detainees.
Another man said to be a staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was killed in the melee while trying to cut off supply from the high tension wirepole before the raging fire got to it.
Reports said it took the combined efforts of the traditional head of the people, the Ngolong Ngas, Nde Joshua Dimlong; the Council Chairman, Chief Anthony Goyoland the member representing Pankshin North in the Plateau House of Assembly, Gambo Nbilamut to calm the rampaging youths.
Secretary to the State Government, Mr. John Gobak, said in a statement that Governor Joshua Dariye had approved the imposition of a dusk to dawn curfew on thetown to safeguard life and property and forestall any escalation of the problem.
He said additional security personnel had been dispatched to the town to maintain peace and console the families of those who lost their lives in the disturbance.
Vanguard learnt that an Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, is overseeing security in the town.
Only two weeks ago, youths protesting moves by eight members of the state House of Assembly to impeach Governor Dariye went on the rampage in Jos, burningdown some houses including that of Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu. Two of the protesters were also killed.
Pro-Dariye campmoves against anti-Dariye lawmakers Meanwhile, following the decision of the Acting Chief Judge of Plateau State, Justice Lazarus Dakyen, to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate allegations of
nisconduct against Governor Joshua Dariye based on a letter by eight of the 24-member House, 14 of the legislators have filed a fresh suit to restrain their colleagues from performing any legislative functions.
The 14 members led by the Speaker, Mr. Simon Lalong, are seeking an order of perpetual injunction to retrain the Michael Dapianlong group from exercising the legislative powers of the Plateau State House of Assembly and to declare null and void any purported sitting they have held in the name of the Assembly.
In the originating summons filed on their behalf by their counsel, Okey Akobundu, the legislators are praying for an order to set aside the decisions purportedly taken by six members on October 5 and 13, 2006 on the ground that the House cannot be properly constituted in accordance with Section 91 of the constitution when their seats were declared vacant by the group.
They also want the court to declare that six members cannot form a quorum of the House as provided in Section 96(1) of the 1999 constitution and that the group cannot validly sit or perform any or all of the functions of the House after declaring their seats vacant.
According to them, given the peculiar situation in the House, only a court of competent jurisdiction can determine whether or not the situation contemplated by Section 109(G) of the constitution exists in the House to warrant declaring vacant the seat of any member.
They further prayed the court to restrain Governor Dariye, the Attorney General of the state and the Chief Justice of the state from exercising any executive or constitutional power and functions based on the purported decisions of the six members.
Meanwhile, a group known as Plateau Vanguard for Democracy has called on those named as members of the panel to investigate allegations against the governor not to accept to serve on the panel on the ground that it was not properly constituted.
In a statement signed by the Secretary General, Suleiman Dakyer, the group urged them as men of honour to distance themselves from “attempts by some selfish elements to use them to achieve a plan that will set a bad precedent for the future of our democracy.
“But this plan, we assure you, will come to naught as God is more powerful than these humans who think they can toy with the destiny of our entire state just to achieve their selfish aim.”