20 killed in another Plateau attack

Governor Jonah Jang
 

No fewer than 20 people reportedly died between Wednesday and Thursday when gunmen invaded Atakar village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

This brings to 55 the number of persons killed in the state in recent time.

The killings came as the state Governor Jonah Jang on Thursday asked the Defence Headquarters to monitor the activities of men of the Special Task Force to ensure that their operations were within the rules of their engagement.

The STF maintains peace in Plateau as well as Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa local governments in Bauchi State.

Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, who raided Atakar at about 8pm, claimed they were on bee hunting.

Not comfortable with the kinds of guns the herdsmen were carrying for a bee-hunting expedition, some villagers confronted them. In the ensuing argument, the gunmen allegedly killed five persons.

The incident was said to have angered the natives, who mobilised and chased the gunmen out of the village.

However, the gunmen were said to have returned to the village in larger number on Thursday morning,  killing another two persons in Atakar, and 13 others in neighbouring Dajak village.

Member, representing Riyom in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Daniel Dem, who confirmed the incident, described the attackers as mercenaries.

He said no security had been sent to Dajak because of its hilly terrain.

Meanwhile, Jang, represented by his deputy, Ignatius Longjan, spoke in Jos when a delegation from the Defence Headquarters, led by Commodore Yusuf Hela, visited the state.

The governor said, “The STF men must strive to operate by the rules of their engagement. This is very necessary to erode public skepticism on their operations of late.

“The peace enjoyed in the state has been punctured lately and there appears to be more complaints against some STF personnel.”

Meanwhile, the state government has condemned the Tuesday attacks by gunmen on Mavo village in Wase Local Government Area during which eight people lost their lives.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Abraham Yiljap, who decried the incident, described the fresh attack as “very sad, coming at a time all stakeholders have committed themselves to a peaceful Plateau’’.

He said, “What happened in Wase is so sad, painful and tragic. This government is very sad because that incident came up when we are on the verge of restoring permanent peace on the Plateau. Such kind of deadly confrontation among people that have lived together for ages is sad and government is pained by it.’’

Yiljap said normalcy had returned to the area, and advised the people to be alert always.

He added, “I have been in touch with the Commander of the STF as well as the commissioner of the Plateau Police command and have confirmed that sufficient men have been deployed to secure the affected areas.’’