Bandits kill family of five in Plateau community

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani terrorists have killed a family of five in the Lighitlubang village, located in Bungha District of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State.

The tragic incident occurred on Friday, following months of respite in the region.

A source close to the community revealed that the assailants broke into the village early on Saturday morning while residents were still in bed. The attackers fired intermittent shots into the air as a signal of their arrival.

A local resident, identified as David, told Sunday Tribune that the gunmen targeted a home where a father, his wife, a child, and two other relatives were residing. They shot the family members at close range to ensure their deaths.

David also mentioned that the community has been under a continuous siege by the terrorists. In the past week alone, no fewer than seven people have been killed by the attackers.

The violence also extended to the 27th of January 2025, when a group of women, who had gone to gather firewood, were ambushed by the terrorists.

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One woman, Mrs. Tabitha Yusuf, was killed, while others who were shot managed to escape, though some sustained varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

At the time of filing this report, tension remains high across the local government area, with security personnel deployed to various parts of the council area to maintain law and order.

When contacted, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo, confirmed that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the local government is investigating the incident. However, he stated that no official comments could be made until the investigation is concluded.