Gunmen kill another six in Plateau

STILL smarting from the killing of 29 travellers and the reprisal that followed in Plateau State, a militia group, on Tuesday, launched another attack on Irigwe communities in Bassa Local Government Area of the state, killing six. 

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, during the curfew hour at about 8:45 p.m., stormed Chando-Zrrechi (Tafi-Gana) of Miango District in Bassa, where they killed five persons. The secretary-general, Irigwe Development Association, Danjuma Auta, who confirmed the attack in a statement, said the people were shocked such an attack could take place during the curfew. 

Auta said: “As the Irigwe nation continue to receive attacks from left, right and centre over the unfortunate incident of the Rukuba road attack on innocent commuters, which the Irigwe nation knows nothing about and we have continued to distance ourselves from the ungodly act as peace loving citizens, our people were attacked again on Tuesday night. 

“Last night, August 17, one of our villages, Chando-Zrrechi (Tafi-Gana), was attacked by Fulani herdsmen. Five persons were confirmed dead, while there was also another attack at Dong village, where another Irigwe son was killed.” 

Auta called on security agencies and government to come to the aid of the Irigwe and entire people of Bassa Local Government Area, adding that if nothing was done to avert the trend, the people might be wiped out. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Gabriel Ogaba, confirmed the incident. 

Ogaba said: “The state police command is aware of the incident; joint operations are currently ongoing in the affected areas.” In a related development, stakeholders in the state have vowed to unite against return of violence, just as they cautioned against indiscriminate granting of bail to those suspected to be involved in attacks, as well as politicisation of crimes. 

The stakeholders, comprising former governors, traditional rulers, religious leaders, among others, were at an emergency meeting summoned by Governor Simon Bako Lalong to discuss ways of restoring normalcy to the state. 

In his address shortly before the stakeholders went for a close-door meeting, Governor Lalong charged the stakeholders to brainstorm and come up with valuable suggestions as to what could be done to bring about lasting peace to the state. The meeting was attended by former Governor Jonah Jang, chairman, Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Emirs, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba; National and state Assembly members and religious leaders. 

Meanwhile, the Taraba State government has dispatched a team to evacuate its indigenes studying in Jos. 

The Commissioner for Higher Education in the state, Mr Edward Baraya, confirmed the development to journalists in Jalingo on Wednesday. Baraya said 10 buses of 18 seater capacity each with 20 police personnel and a director in the ministry had been sent to Jos to evacuate the students. 

He said: “We have dispatched 10 buses and 20 police personnel to go and evacuate our students who have been trapped in Jos following the killings and the curfew imposed there. “A director in the ministry is the one heading the team and we are expecting safe evacuation of our students,” he said.

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