Barely 24 hours after Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, raised alarm over plans by enemies of the state to throw it into confusion, over 40 persons were at the early hours of yesterday killed by unknown gunmen at Tatu, Rawuru, Bok, and Dorang villages of Fan district of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.
Nigerian Pilot gathered that about ten persons were said to be injured and were receiving treatment at various hospitals in the local government. Several houses were also burnt by the unknown gunmen.
Expended shells of bullets were seen around the community.
Our reporter who visited the community discovered that the entire communities were thrown into mourning as a result of the attacks
The Jok Cholonm of Rawuru village told our reporter that the gunmen stormed the house of his relative at about 12:30am and killed him and his seven children.
He lamented that despite the presence of security operatives in the locality, they did not come to the aid of the community.
The Village Head of Tatu, Pam Gyang Tsok, who spoke to newsmen, said the attack on his community took place about 1:00 am Tuesday morning.
According to him, “At about 1:00 am yesterday morning I started hearing gunshots, I then rushed out of my home to the direction of the gunshots and saw corpse of our villagers who were murdered in their cold blood by the attackers.
“Our village was under siege for more than thirty minutes, Pam Yakubu, who lost six relatives told our correspondent that the gunmen struck the village at about 12: 30am, and started shooting sporadically.
He gave the names of those killed as Davou, Yop, Sarah, Felix and Timothy.
Yakubu further said “our attackers must be professional killers as they were speaking good English.
He appealed to security operatives to tighten security around the local government council.
Nigerian Pilot also observed that the victims of the crisis were all given mass burial. Some of the corpses of those killed were burnt beyond recognition.
Speaking to newsmen at the grave side, the outgoing president of Church of Christ In Nations, COCIN, Rev, Soja Bewarang, described the attacks as a calculated attempt to wipe out the people of the state.
Bewarang called on the state government and the Special Task Force deployed to restore law and order to strength security in the LGA.
The management committee chairman of Barkin Ladi, Habila Dung, who spoke to our reporter, described the attacks as barbaric and unfortunate.
He said the attacks in the four villages all happened at the same time, that the villages that the attacks took place were difficult to access by the security operatives.
Confirming the incidence, the Special Task Force deployed to restore law and order in Jos, in a press statement signed by its spokesman, Captain Salisu Mustapha, and made available to Nigerian Pilot yesterday stated “that this is to inform the general public and good people of Plateau State that at about 2:00am, unknown gunmen carried out a coordinated attack in Katu Kapang, Daron, Tul and Rawuru villages of Barkin Ladi and Mangu Local Government Areas.
The attackers killed about 13 persons in Katu Kapang, 8 in Daron, 9 in Tul and 7 others in Rawuru. About 5 others were also reported to have sustained injuries.
The commander of the Task Force, Major General David Enetie, had visited the villages to assess the situation and vowed that no stone would be left unturned to fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act. Confirming the incident, Plateau Police spokesperson, Mrs. Felicia Anselem, said multiple attacks were carried out on four communities in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.
In another development, three persons were feared dead in Shishiri venue of Pajat ward PDP local government councillorship primary election in Langtang North local government of Plateau State.