The Plateau State government and the police command on Sunday dismissed a report claiming that about 230 persons travelling on luxury buses to the Southeast of the country were killed as the buses were set ablaze in Jos.

The report circulated mostly on social media.

Governor Simon Lalong’s spokesman Dr. Makut Simon Macham, in a statement, urged members of the public to disregard the report, describing it as fake.

“Members of the public are advised to ignore a social media post purportedly showing luxurious buses on fire with the caption “Plateau crises and genocide worsens as 2 luxurious buses conveying Igbos down East were set on fire with 156 passengers inside”.

“This is purely the handiwork of crises merchants and mischief makers who want to create panic and instigate violence and fear among the people,” the statement said.

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Police spokesman Ubah Ogaba also waved off the report in a statement released yesterday.

Meanwhile, Governor Lalong has continued his visits to places affected by recent attacks in Bassa and Jos North councils of the state.

Leading a delegation of traditional rulers and others, including security operatives, he visited Yelwa Zangam community where over 30 persons were killed by gunmen.

The community residents appealed for support, saying their grains and farmlands were destroyed.

They also asked for a police station to be built in the area for better security.

Lalong said the federal and state governments were mobilsing relief materials for those affected by the crisis, assuring them that perpetrators of violence would be brought to book.

The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) urged Governor Willie Obiano to evacuate students and indigenes of the state stranded in Plateau.