Sunday night was a gory one for residents of Kuru District, Byei and Zogu villages in Plateau state, where suspected herders struck simultaneously.
POLITICS NIGERIA confirmed the death of fourteen persons with others sustaining varying degrees of injuries. For instance, in Kuru, twelve people including two brothers and two ladies were killed while five were brutally injured.
Names of those killed in the district are: Darap Ayuba, Stephen Ayuba, Ibrahim Monday Dong, Feng Gyang Dalong, Davou Matthew, Naomi Samuel Mwankon, Kaneng Dung, Davou Pam, James Fom, Gyang Juma, David Dalyop and Chigwuze Emmanuel Paul.
The head of Kushe Kuru village, Pius Dung, said over 30 assailants strategically positioned themselves and surrounded the village Kushe in Kuru District, shooting sporadically.
In the same vein, a 40-year-old man and a six-year-old were killed in Zogu village located at Bassa Local Government Area of the state. Members of the same family, Barry Sunday and John Sunday sustained injuries and presently being treated in the hospital. Multiple eyewitnesses said some of the attackers wore long black robes.
The assailants rained terror for about thirty minutes with no intervention from local and government security agents, villagers said.
A member of the vigilante group, who sought anonymity, described the attack as “shocking”.
“The presence of security checkpoint and Police Station not up to a kilometer away from where the attackers invaded,” he said.
He added that he became helpless when trying to lock the entrance of an active restaurant to minimize damage and casualty but narrowly escaped. He lamented that the local vigilantes were overpowered because they have not been armed with sophisticated weapons to resist the attack.
Distressed by the killing of innocent citizens in the recent attack, Governor Simon Lalong appealed to citizens to increase surveillance and intelligence gathering as well as collaborate with security agencies to foil such attacks which are carried out in a hit and run fashion by criminals who are bent on disturbing the peace of the State.
Governor Lalong who expressed disgust over the murderous incident said the multiple attacks on soft targets must be stopped at all cost.
He noted that the Government will never allow few criminal elements to create fear in the hearts of the citizens.
During a visit to the scene to commiserate with the families of the victims and the Kuru community, the Governor who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the State Prof. Danladi Atu condemned the attack describing those behind it as cowards who have no courage to face their victims for whatever grievances they might harbour against them.
He said irrespective of the motives behind the killings, the Government is treating it as a purely criminal activity and has directed security agencies to swiftly investigate, pursue, and arrest the perpetrators who must face justice. The recurring attacks in Plateau communities are part of the insecurity breakdown experienced in different parts of the country.
Despite the promises of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to secure the lives and properties, hundreds are killed and many kidnapped for ransom on weekly basis.
