By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Jos
JOS: Amid ongoing violence that has claimed over 70 lives in Plateau State’s Bokkos and Bassa local government areas, operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested a young man found in possession of a gun within the premises of a church in Bokkos.
The arrest, which occurred around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday during a routine patrol, has heightened anxiety in the community already reeling from repeated attacks on villages.
State Command spokesperson ASP NR Rimvyok, who confirmed the development to Daily Trust on Monday morning, said, “Yes, the suspect was arrested by our personnel. However, there’s nothing much to report at the moment as investigations are still ongoing.”
Though details of the suspect’s identity and intent remain sketchy, the incident has raised concerns over the safety of places of worship in volatile areas.
Sources within the security agency revealed that the suspect has been moved to the NSCDC headquarters in Jos for further interrogation and investigation.
The arrest comes in the wake of deadly attacks between March 28 and April 2 on five communities in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs, where dozens were killed and hundreds displaced.
A resident who preferred anonymity said, “After everything we’ve gone through in recent weeks, seeing someone caught with a gun near a church is terrifying. We are not safe anywhere, not even in our places of worship.”
Security agencies have come under pressure to intensify surveillance and intelligence gathering to prevent further bloodshed and restore calm to the troubled region.