President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is due to visit Jos, the capital of Plateau State, today, following a deadly attack that left 28 people dead and 22 others injured.
The visit comes as the state gradually returns to normal after tensions that gripped the city on Wednesday.
In the aftermath of the violence, security has been strengthened as calm slowly returns to the streets.
The President will be received at Yakubu Gowon Airport, Hyeipang, and is expected to focus on supporting victims and assessing the security situation.
He had earlier met with Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
Through his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President condemned the attacks in Jos as well as a separate incident in Kahir village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where wedding guests were killed and abducted.
“Anyone who will sneak under the cover of the night and kill defenceless citizens as done in Jos and Kahir village is a heartless coward,” Tinubu had said on Monday.
While denouncing the attacks, the President praised Mutfwang for his efforts in managing the crisis in Jos and instructed security agencies to intensify efforts to track down those responsible.
He also warned sections of the media against portraying the attacks as religiously motivated, cautioning that such narratives could inflame further violence.
Unidentified gunmen, reportedly on a motorcycle, opened fire on Sunday, killing at least 28 people near the Anguwan Rukuba junction in the evening.
A resident, who spoke to Channels Television anonymously via telephone, confirmed the details of the attack.
Following the incident, aggrieved youths reportedly blocked major roads within the community, heightening fears of escalating tension.
The attack occurred just weeks after at least 20 security personnel and vigilantes were reportedly killed when heavily armed bandits ambushed a joint patrol team in Wanka and surrounding communities in the Garga area of Kanam Local Government Area.
The violence also led the University of Jos to reschedule examinations initially planned for 30 and 31 March.
Tension resurfaced in Jos on Wednesday, only hours after the Plateau State Government relaxed a 48-hour curfew imposed after Sunday’s incident.
The situation caused panic among residents, forcing traders who had resumed business to shut their shops and flee.
Concerned by the security situation, students of the University of Jos were directed to vacate their hostels on Wednesday.
In a statement issued by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Madugu, Vice-Chancellor Tanko Ishaya ordered the immediate evacuation of students as a precautionary measure.
“The Vice Chancellor has directed the immediate evacuation of students from the university hostels in view of the general security situation and the near chaotic scenarios witnessed in areas close to the university,” the statement said.
The university noted that Wednesday’s developments heightened tension and posed a potential risk to students, necessitating urgent action.
To facilitate the evacuation, the Plateau State Government, under Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, provided transportation services for students, with approval granted for movement during curfew hours.
“The evacuation is being facilitated by the Executive Governor of Plateau State, who has provided transport services fully authorised to operate within the curfew hours,” the statement added.
According to the schedule released, students living within Jos and nearby areas began evacuating on Wednesday afternoon, while those whose families reside outside the city were scheduled to leave from Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, the state government has urged residents to remain vigilant while staying hopeful as efforts to restore peace continue.