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Buhari says killing of Muslim travellers was ‘prearranged’

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned Saturday’s ambush in central Plateau state of buses returning from a religious festival in nearby Bauchi state.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the President described the killing of 23 people returning from a Muslim festival in neighbouring Bauchi State as a premeditated ambush.

Muhammadu Buhari,
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria

“It is clear this was a well-conceived and prearranged assault on a known target, location and religious persuasion of the travellers, not an opportunist ambush,” Buhari said.

“A direct, brazen and wickedly motivated attack on members of a community exercising their rights to travel freely and to follow the faith of their choosing.”

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In his own reaction, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, said security agencies had arrested 20 suspects and imposed a 6 a.m.-6 p.m. curfew in the area due to fear of reprisals.

“This is purely a criminal conduct and should not be given any ethnic or religious colouration,” he said.

Though details of the attack in the Plateau State capital, Jos, were unclear, some media suggested a Christian militia was to blame.

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