Bloodbath in Plateau as gunmen kill 30 in fresh attack

Gunmen attacked Kwahaslalek village in Plateau State in the early hours of Wednesday, resulting in the tragic death of no fewer than 30 individuals. The victims, primarily women and children, sought refuge in the house of a community leader on Tuesday night after earlier unrest in Mangu town. Unfortunately, the gunmen surrounded and killed them.

Mark Haruna, a community leader in the area, confirmed the devastating death toll to PUNCH Online in Jos, the state capital. According to Haruna, the attackers employed a diversion tactic by causing unrest in Sabon Gari and Mangu town on Tuesday afternoon to divert attention from the vulnerable villages. Kwahaslalek village, behind the NYSC camp, was attacked around 12:30 am, resulting in the brutal killing of over 25 people, predominantly women and children.

Joseph Gwankat, the Chairman of Mwaghavul Development Association, condemned the callous act, stating that the unrest in Mangu town had instilled fear in many communities. As a precaution, some villagers gathered their loved ones in a perceived safe location. Tragically, the gunmen targeted Kwahaslalek village that night, where the assembled group, consisting mostly of women and children, was mercilessly killed.

Expressing his outrage, Gwankat highlighted the absence of security forces to protect the villagers, emphasizing the sheer wickedness of the recurrent attacks on innocent people in their own communities without effective intervention.

Alabo Alfred, the spokesman for the state police command, stated that he had not received a report on the incident when contacted, and assured that an investigation would be initiated upon confirmation.

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, responded to the deteriorating security situation by declaring a 24-hour curfew in Mangu Local Government Area on Tuesday. This decision followed a previous unrest that resulted in the burning of several houses, including churches and mosques.

The state continues to grapple with the aftermath of Christmas Eve attacks on communities in three local government areas, where gunmen targeted multiple villages, burning houses and shooting residents. Over 150 people were reportedly killed in that tragic incident.