On Monday, Augustine Vikani, the district head of Kofai Chiefdom in the Ardo Kola local government area of Taraba, suspended the sales of ‘burukutu’, a local liquor, in markets within his Chiefdom.

Mr Vikani, while speaking with journalists, said the suspension became necessary to serve as a security measure to forestall any further bomb blasts within the community.

The monarch said that the decision was taken in consultation with the youths and elders in the community, especially as Mondays hosted the popular ‘kasuwan bera’ market.

He said that the community had already complied with the directives, adding that the youths and security personnel were on hand to enforce the suspension order.

“The two bomb blasts that occurred recently had affected the two local markets, Iware and Nukkai neighbouring ours here.

“And that informed our collective decision to suspend the public sale of the local beer, burukutu, especially inside our markets.

“This measure was taken to control crowd, especially as the two recent blasts occurred within drinking joints and today marked the hosting of one of our popular markets,” he said.

While commending the government for boosting the community with more security, Mr Vikani appealed to the government at all levels to step up more proactive measures in preventing such dastardly occurrences.

A correspondent who visited the Kasuwan Bera market reports the heavy presence of police personnel controlling the crowd.

Activities were low key due to the panic that resulted from the last bomb blast, which occurred at the International Cattle Market Iware inside a drinking joint, killing six people and injuring 19.

(NAN)