Gunmen kill another five in Plateau, four missing
THE increasing level of insecurity in some parts of Plateau State took a fresh turn Tuesday night when a group of gunmen suspected to be herdsmen killed five persons in Bassa Local Government Area of the state despite the curfew imposed on the area by Governor Simon Lalong.
Four persons in Chando-Zrrechi (Tafi-Gana) village, where the incident happened, were also declared missing after the killings.
This was as the State Governor, Simon Lalong, begged the warring Fulani and Irigwe groups to embrace peace and put an end to the killing of farmers and herdsmen in the state.
The National President of the Irigwe Development Association Association, Ezekiel Bini, confirmed the fresh killings to The PUNCH in Jos on Wednesday.
According to him, the whereabouts of four other persons remain unknown after they were captured by the gunmen.
The names of those killed at Chando-Zrreci (Tafi-Gana) were given as Christopher Izah (39), Dauda Danladi (29), Ladi Adamson (52), John Musa (16), and Joshua Zecharia (17).
The Secretary General of the Irigwe Development Association, Dicson Auta, who condemned the killings, in a statement, accused the Fulani of being behind the attacks.
Dicson said, “As the Irigwe nation has continued to receive attack from left, right and centre over the unfortunate incident of the Rukuba road attack on innocent commuters, which the Irigwe nation knows nothing about for which we have continued to distance ourselves from the ungodly act as peace loving citizens, yet last night, one of our villages, Chando-Zrrechi (Tafi-Gana) was attacked by Fulani herdsmen.”
When contacted, the Military Information Officer of the Operation Safe Haven, Major Ishaku Takwa, was not immediately available for comments on the attacks.
Killings: FG not sincere, says herdsmen
However, the Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria has expressed doubt over the sincerity of the Federal and Plateau state governments to fish out and prosecute the perpetrators of Rukuba killings where 22 travellers were killed.
The association in a statement by its Chairman, Khalil Bello, condemned the brutal murder, said, “We doubt the Plateau State and Federal Governments sincerity of promising to fish out the perpetrator of this heinous crimes.”
Taraba evacuates stranded UNIJOS students
Meanwhile, the Taraba State Government, through its Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr. Edward Baraya, confirmed the evacuation of her students from hostels around UNIJOS.
Baraya, who spoke with journalists in Jalingo on Wednesday, disclosed that ten 18-seater buses with 20 police personnel and a director in the ministry were sent to Jos to evacuate the students.
He said, “Yes, we have dispatched 10 buses and 20 police personnel to go and evacuate our students who have been trapped in Jos, following the killings and the curfew imposed on Jos.”
Plateau politicians too
Similarly, some politicians from Plateau State chartered luxury buses and other vehicles to evacuate UNIJOS students trapped in their hostels to safety areas, following security breaches in Jos North.
Speaking with The PUNCH, the chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee, Plateau State chapter, Jeremiah Mathew, described the situation as “not good”.
He added, “As it is, the first batch of students has been evacuated and more are being taken out of the Abuja, Naraguta and Village hostels to safety places.
“Some of them like the lawmaker representing Lantang North /Lantang South Federal constituency, Beni Lar and Jos East/Jos South Federal Constituency, Dachung Bagos, among others are sending buses and security agents to evacuate their students.” Punch
