Gunmen attack kills five in Plateau community

Just two weeks after gunmen killed eight people in separate attacks in Congo and Zarap communities within the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, another tragedy has struck. This time, gunmen have killed five individuals in the same area.

The attack took place in the Mbar community on Sunday night.

Residents told our correspondent in Jos on Monday that the victims who were mainly youths were attacked on their way from Mbar town to Koh village along a bypass encircling Yelwa Nono village between 7. pm and 7.30 pm by fleeing terrorists on motorcycles after they were initially repelled by the military from the surrounding mountains.

Farmasun Fuddang, Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, confirmed the new killings in a statement on Monday.

The statement which was jointly signed by the association’s Secretary, Duwam Bosco, partly read, “We wish to condemn in the strongest terms the tragic killing of five innocent young men in the Mbar community on September 15 (Saturday), despite prior intelligence reports of suspected terrorists’ influx into the area.

“By the time the security forces were informed about the attack and arrived at the scene several minutes later, the terrorists had completed their mission and fled without apprehension.

“This incident adds to a series of armed attacks in our villages, including the recent murder of 11 youths in Tarangol, Daffo, and Bargesh villages on September 3.”

He alleged that the unprovoked attacks were “a calculated attempt at evicting our people from their ancestral homes and taking over the land.”

“We request to be involved in the handling of the threats in our land, working in synergy with security forces as is the case with the civilian joint task force in the North-East and North-West regions.

“This is not to undermine or underrate the efforts of the military. However, we understand the logistical and manpower shortages faced by the military, requiring the active participation of local community members who by the way know the terrain and can better assist with intelligence to identify and expose criminal elements in communities.’

He also advised the communities to eschew late movements as advised by security authorities to minimise risks.

The socio-cultural organisation also sympathised with the families of the victims and called on their people to be vigilant.

“We refuse to stand by while our people, a small minority in Nigeria, are systematically eliminated,” the statement concluded.

The Plateau State Police Command spokesman, Alabo Alfred, was unavailable for comment as his phone was turned off at the time of contact.