THE Special Task Force (STF) in Plateau State has said its men are battle-ready to crush troublemakers during the yuletide season.Rumours of impending bombings in Jos metropolis have been making the rounds, causing panic among the residents.Faceless persons have recently been circulating fliers warning residents of plots to blow up targets before December 26.Regarding the threats as empty, the JTF will not treat the issue lightly. Addressing journalists at STF headquarters in Jos at the weekend, spokesman, Captain Charles Ekeocha, said: 'My men are battle- ready to ensure that Christmas and New Year are celebrated peacefully. You should disregard the letter being circulated. Officers and men of the STF are on top of the situation.'We received a report of people threatening to bomb some parts of Jos between now and December 26. This is just to let people know that nobody is planning to bomb anywhere. It is just a ploy to cause panic in the society and to ensure that people do not enjoy their Christmas. They are rumourmongers who want to cause problems for people. So, residents should go about their normal activities. We are working with other security agencies to make sure Christmas and New Year are celebrated peacefully.'Ekeocha urged residents to report any suspicious movement or people to the STF or any nearest security apparatus.The threats are coming against the backdrop of similar threats in the past, which turned out to be true.The flier, signed by one Idris Musa reads: 'We, the entire Muslims of Plateau State, will never give up until we have our rights. We will destroy you. Nothing can stop us from bombing these areas before December 26, 2011 in the name of Allah.'An improvised bomb exploded at about 9am yesterday, killing a landlord and injuring four others in the Shehuri ward of Maiduguri metropolis.The affected house is located two kilometers south of the JTF headquarters.According to JTF spokesman, Lt. Col Hassan Mohammed, 'We heard the sound of a blast. We thought that one of our military patrol vehicles had been targeted by suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers. We realised a few minutes later that the bomb exploded in the house of a landlord in Shehuri ward, killing the man while four others sustained injuries.'He said the landlord might have been assembling explosives intended for JTF headquarters and other security formations.He said the injured persons have been taken to the University ofMaiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) for treatment.Still in Maiduguri, an explosion yesterday in a remote area of the capital claimed the lives of three suspected Boko Haram sect members.Men of the JTF, who immediately cordoned off the area, found the bodies of the three persons.It is believed that the deceased had been attempting to put together the explosive when it went off.The JTF anti bomb squad diffused other unexploded devices at the scene, recovering two Kalashnikov rifles among the rubble.
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