By Seriki Adinoyi in JosÂ
In spite of the imposition of dusk-to-dawn curfew in Bassa local government area, and in Dong of Jos North local government area, by the Plateau State government, gunmen, in a fresh attack on Thursday night killed three persons and burnt over 15 houses.Â
This is even as some residents who narrowly escaped from the community disclosed that many people were currently missing.
Confirming the attack to journalists, Reverend Father Anthony Okparaji of St Augustine Catholic Church, Pastoral Centre, Dong said two of his parishioners and another person were killed in the attack which started at about 9pm on Thursday, adding that he had informed the Police and the state government to reinforce security.
He added that a mass burial was going to be conducted in the village for the victims on Friday.
Also confirming the attack, the Public Relation Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. Tyopev Terna said he could not give the death figure yet as the DPO of Rantya Police station had gone to the scene to assess the situation.Â
Major Umar Adam, spokesman of the military Special Task Force (STF), who also confirmed the attack, however said there were three casualties.Â
He said that as soon as they received distress calls from the community, his men were mobilised immediately to scene, adding that normalcy had returned, as his men were now on patrol of the area.
Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong has appealed for calm, “following the attack last night by armed gunmen in Dong village of Jos North Local Government Area of the state, which culminated in the unfortunate loss of lives of some people in the area.”
In a statement he issued on Friday through the state Commissioner of information and Communication, Mr. Yakubu Dati, the Governor noted that relative calm had been restored to the area following the deployment of adequate security and urged the people to remain law-abiding.
While sympathising with the bereaved and injured, Lalong assured that government was taking steps to alleviate their pains.
He called on citizens to volunteer useful information to security agencies that would lead to the arrest of the criminals.Â
He also cautioned the people to resist the temptation of spreading wild and unfounded rumours that tend to aggravate the situation.
