Fears in Plateau State as gunmen kill 40 again

Jang

Barely 24 hours after the confused governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang raised the alarm that there was a grand plot to attack and kill innocent civilians in his troubled state, tragedy finally struck. 

In fact, no fewer than 40 people were killed in the early hours of Tuesday in Barakin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State when gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded three communities in the council.

Police, however, said only 20 people were killed. The incident came less than 72 hours after five people were similarly murdered in Kukah in Shendam Local Government Area of the once peaceful state.

SHOWBIZPLUS gathered that the marauders overran Gura Bwok, Fan, Heipang and Foron districts of the local government, killing some of the residents and burning some houses.

It was further gathered that nine people were killed in Gura Bwok, seven in Fan, 11 people in Heipang and five people in Foron.

Several houses were also said to have been razed down in the attack, which was said to be a reprisal against last week’s theft of more than 200 herds of cattle belonging to the herdsmen by some unidentified persons.

It was also gathered that two Fulani herdsmen were killed by the cattle thieves as  men of the Special Task Force tried to intervene.

The state Police Public Relations Officers, Felicia Anselm, said the killing was in revenge against the theft of cows and the alleged killing of two of the herdsmen, said to be Fulani, by the cattle thieves.

She said the police had intervened by deploying units of men of the anti-terrorist squad in the area.

The PPRO said, “Calm has been restored in the place and a unit of anti-terrorism squad and regular and riot policemen, including the STF, have been sent to the area.”