Gunmen Kill Several in Night Attack on Plateau Community
Yemi Kosoko in Jos and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
At least eight people were reportedly killed and more than 10 others injured when gunmen opened fire on residents of Gwon‑Ajang village in Foron District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State last Sunday night.
The attack occurred at about 10 p.m., according to community members, when the assailants stormed a birthday celebration and began shooting indiscriminately, sending terrified villagers fleeing into the dark.
A youth from the community, Bishop Iliya, said the victims had gathered for a birthday event when the attackers struck without warning.
“They arrived and started shooting at everything in sight. It is a painful and unfortunate situation for our community,” he said.
The Berom Youths Moulder‑Association (BYM‑A) also confirmed the incident, describing the attackers as “armed terrorists” and stating that at least eight people were killed, while more than 10 others sustained severe injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, expressed concern over what he described as renewed violence in the area. He called on security agencies to take decisive action to halt the attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Plateau State Police Command, however, gave a slightly lower casualty figure, confirming five deaths from the attack.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, said officers from the Gindiri Division received a distress call at about 9:22 p.m. and immediately mobilised to the scene.
“When our men got there, they met some persons in pools of their blood. As I speak to you, five of them were confirmed dead,” he said.
Alabo noted that the location of the incident between Mangu and Barkin Ladi LGAs often leads to conflicting reports about the exact point of attack.
He added that the state Commissioner of Police had directed senior officers to relocate to the area to restore calm. Joint operations with Operation Enduring Peace were also underway, as security personnel were already deployed.
“We are looking forward to making some arrests because we have good intel,” he said.
Community sources alleged that the attack followed a period of relative calm in parts of Plateau State, claiming that killings had reduced until after the conclusion of political party primaries, an assertion not independently verified.
Security agencies said investigations were ongoing, while patrols and surveillance have been intensified in the area.
Meanwhile, violent crime seems to have returned to Anambra State as gunmen whose identities were not immediately ascertained last Sunday attacked men of the State Police Command, killing at least two officers.
The state has been peaceful for months, following a heavy attack on criminals, especially gunmen masquerading as Biafra agitators, until last Sunday night’s incident.
The incident happened on Awa-Ndiukwuenu-Ufuma Road, where it was gathered that the men accosted the policemen on patrol and shot at them, leaving two bodies on the main road.
A keke operator, who was plying the road last night and who witnessed the incident, said he was riding along the road when he suddenly started hearing gunshots ahead, prompting him to dump his tricycle and head into the bush for safety.
In a voice note he made, he said: “After some time, I came out of the bush and retrieved my Keke and continued my journey, then I got to the spot where the thing (incident) happened.
“Two policemen were lying on the road here, and their police van was parked by the roadside. I decided to make this voice note to post on the platform because I think one of the policemen was still alive, so that anyone who knows police authorities will tell them to go and save their members.”
When THISDAY reached out to the state Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, for a reaction on the incident, his line was not reachable.
No official police reaction has been made on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
