Academic and social activities at the main campus of the University of Jos, Plateau State of the North Central Nigeria, was grounded on Thursday, after students and lecturers abandoned classrooms and took to their heels following a bomb scare.

The Commissioner of Police (CP) Plateau State, Chris Olakpe, in a telephone interview from Jos, said an alleged suicide bomber was sighted by the students as he tried to enter the school premises.

“As a result of the alarm raised by the students, it caused pandemonium in the university as people ran for safety. However some students summoned up courage to capture the alleged bomber, who was almost beaten to a pulp before he was rescued by the school security.”

This is coming less than 24 hours after bomb blast rocked Abuja which killed 22 people and injured 17.

Our Correspondent gathered that immediately the news went round, even students and teachers in lecture halls thought it wise to abandon their books as they took to their heels for dear life.

It would be recalled that on May 20, a twin bomb explosions rocked Jos which left over 200 people dead and scores injured. Seven University of Jos students were also killed in the bomb blast.

Following the Jos bomb blast in May, it was reported of another bomb scare which forced residents to remain indoors as schools, banks were shut down.

At least 16 people were killed on Sunday in what appear to be the latest violence between rival groups in central Nigeria’s hitherto peaceful Plateau State.

The villages of Babale and Dabwak, mostly inhabited by  Christians were attacked on Sunday night, a security officials said.

Eleven people were killed the previous night in another village, Tatu.

More than 1,000 have been killed in religious and ethnic violence in Jos over the past two years.

Plateau State lies in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, between the mainly Muslim north and Christian south.

In the state, Hausa-speaking Muslims are seen as supporters of the opposition, while ethnic Beroms, who are mostly Christians, are perceived to favour the incumbent.

It would be recalled that some youths had protested on the outskirts of Jos last Monday to demand an end to the clashes.

That protest was dispersed by the Police who fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the protesters who were demanding that security forces stop the violence, they say.