Eight Killed, Five Missing in Renewed Plateau Community Attack

Eight Killed, Five Missing in Renewed Plateau Community Attack

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

After a period of respite, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have struck Attaka community of Ganawuri District, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing eight persons. Five others have also been declared missing.

 A community leader from Attaka, Mr. Gabriel Musa narrated that gunmen suspected to be Fulani herders at about 3:00p.m. on Thursday attacked a group of women working in their farms in the community.

 Musa who was also in his farm said he escaped narrowly, adding that the gunmen swooped on the farmers and killed four on the spot, while the rest fled with injuries on them.

 He said, “We were harvesting groundnut in our farms when we suddenly noticed that we had been surrounded by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. They killed four of us on the spot while the rest of us escaped to our makeshift settlements close to the farm.

 “They followed us to our settlement and killed another two and more persons sustained injuries. As I speak, about five persons are still missing. Many of us had just returned to the community after we were displaced two years ago. I am also told that two of the injured persons who were taken to General Hospital Kafanchan, Kaduna State hospital have died.” 

He lamented that security men could not access the community on time because of the bad road, adding, “Though security men have arrived, we are still living in fear.”

 The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Mathias Tyopev said he was out of town and yet to be briefed on the incident.

 However, the member of the State House of Assembly representing Riyom constituency, Hon. Timothy Dantong, who confirmed the attack, said he was told that five persons died in the incident and another five missing. 

According to him, the people of the community recently returned to Attaka after they were sacked two years ago by the herdsmen.

 He said prior to the attack, the people had received threat letter from the Fulani, adding that while the security men and elders of the community were still making efforts to ward off the threat, they struck.

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