Scores Feared Killed as Gunmen Invade Plateau Community

•Stop the mass Killings in Benue, Kaduna, Taraba, NOSCEF urges

John Shiklam in Kaduna and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Unconfirmed number of persons were Sunday night reportedly killed, when some armed men invaded a community in Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau.

This is as the Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF), has pleaded with security agencies to stop the attacks and mass killings by bandits in Benue, Taraba and the southern part of Kaduna State.

A source from the community said several persons were killed when the gunmen stormed the community at about midnight and opened fire on the people, causing pandemonium.

He added that several other persons were injured as they scampered to safety.

Confirming the sad incident, Director, Plateau State Peace Building Agency, Joseph Lengmang, expressed sadness, and described it as disturbing trend of deteriorating security situation in some parts of the state.

In a press statement, he lamented that the current attack was coming on the heels of pockets of attacks recorded in some parts of Barkin Ladi and Jos North LGA in the last few days.

He said the peace-building agency condemned the resurgence of violence, because of its potential to throw the entire state back into those dark days where human lives and property were destroyed at the slightest provocation.

While commiserating with affected persons and families, he prayed for the quick recovery of persons that sustained injuries.

He said the attacks on Murish village in Bokkos LGA and Jwak Mai Tumbi in Mangu LGA were orchestrated attempt to instil fear in the minds of the people as the rainy season sets in, to deter them from going to their farms.

He, therefore, urged security operatives to go after the assailants and make sure they were arrested and brought to book.

He also called on the traditional institutions in the affected communities to rise up to their responsibilities by prevailing on their subjects to tow the path of peace in resolving all issues of conflict through dialogue and other Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms rather than taking up arms that would only lead to a vicious cycle of internecine violence.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alfred Alabo, also confirmed the incident, saying there were reports that an attack took place in the communities, “but we do not have concrete information at the moment.”

But he added that the DPO and the Area Commander were on top of the situation.

Meanwhile, NOSCEF, in a statement yesterday by its chairman, Ejoga Inalegwu, condemned the killings, noting that despite the security architecture in place, mass killings and wanton destructions by bandits were being perpetrated in communities in the three states without any counter efforts from the security forces.

While calling on the security forces to check the ugly trend, he said, “NOSCEF is worried that the recent increasing wave of unchecked and persistent killings in Benue, Taraba and Southern Kaduna by bandits/herdsmen is seeming to look like the parting gift of the Buhari administration to our people as it rounds up its 8-year rule.

“We are shocked that, with the security architecture in place, such wanton killings in such magnitude can be perpetrated without any counter from the security forces.

“We are, therefore, calling on the security forces to checkmate the ugly trend and go after those terrorising, killing, maiming people and destroying properties of citizens. We also appeal to all Nigerians to pray for God’s intervention in bringing to an end the new wave of killings across the states.”

On April 8, no fewer than 74 people were reportedly killed in Benue State in two separate attacks by gunmen. In Taraba, over 50 people were reportedly killed in attacks that lasted for days by invading herdsmen.

Also, on Saturday, 32 people were reportedly killed while 30 houses were burnt in an attack by suspected herdsmen on a community in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area, southern Kaduna.