Suspected Herdsmen Kill Family of Five, Three Others in Plateau

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

At least eight persons were killed last Tuesday in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State in separate attacks by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

In one of the attacks, a pastor of Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Rev. Adamu Gyang Wurim, his wife and three children were burnt to death in their sleep at Abonong village in Foron district of the LGA.

The member of the Plateau State House of Assembly representing Barkin Ladi constituency, Hon. Peter Gyendeng, confirmed the killings on the phone wednesday.

He said: “The attackers, armed with machetes and AK47 rifles, reportedly stormed the village at about 8p.m., shooting sporadically and burning houses, killing another two.”

Also confirming the killings, Chairman of the Berom Youth Movement (BYM), Foron branch, Mr. Thomas Tsok, said:, “They first shot at two young men walking out of the deceased Pastor’s residence where they had gone to charge their phones, killing them.”

Four other people, according to him, were shot yesterday morning in Fan and Bek villages leaving them in critical condition at the hospital.

Tsok said the herders also destroyed farmlands and a church building.

The development allegedly caused serious unrest in the area as women gathered at the Special Task Force (STF) Headquarters in Barkin Ladi, protesting the attacks. They also reportedly blocked highways through the area demanding justice.

Another attack at a mining site in Wereh village, Ropp district of the same LGA had resulted in the killing of one and wounding of another.

Six other villages – Loh-Fan, Loh-Pwat, Nafan, Sagas, Nzom and Ude villages were also attacked on the same Tuesday night, according to the member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Istifanus Gyang.

He said: “These attacks are coming at a time when the people are yet to recover from the massacre of over 200 persons in the same B/Ladi LGA with thousands of the displaced victims still languishing in IDP camps.

“The unfortunate thing is that the perpetrators of these attacks continue to execute their agenda with reckless abandon without an appropriate response by the government.”

The Police have not confirmed the killing as the Public Relation Officer of the state Police command said he was waiting for briefing from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area.