Metro

Gunmen kill seven, cart away cows, motorcycles in Plateau

After weeks of respite, rampaging gunmen suspected to be killer herdsmen attacked two communities in Mangu local government areas of Plateau on Wednesday, killing seven people and carting away over one thousand cows and sheep.

The Nigerian Tribune learned from the locals that the gunmen carried out simultaneous attacks on Maraba Pushit District and PinPer, also in Komun District of Mangu Local Government Area of the state, at about 10:45 pm, when most of the residents had retired to bed.

It was gathered that the gunmen during the operations that lasted for more than one hour also injured, destroyed properties, and carted away farm produce and several motorcycles.

A community leader in the Pukah community, John Mark, who confirmed the killings on Thursday, said the gunmen attacked the community in large numbers and were difficult to repel by the local security men because of their number and sophistication of weaponry.

Mark said, “The Pukah community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State came under heavy attack by gunmen early this morning (Thursday). They also attacked another community in the council area known as Pinper. In the Pukah community, they killed one lady and six men. But in Pinper, they carted away several numbers of sheep before they fled the communities. ”

Another resident of the community who does not want his name in print said over 1,000 livestock were carted away by the gunmen.

All attempts to reach the spokesman of the State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo, for comment on the attacks, were unsuccessful as he could not be reached on his mobile phone.

However, the State Government on Wednesday inaugurated over 600 Neighborhood Watch Operatives, the state security outfit saddled with the responsibility of maintaining peace in the hinterlands, codenamed “Operation Rainbow.”

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Ngo Josephine Piyo, at the passing-out parade of the Neighborhood Watch Operatives of Operation Rainbow, said that the revitalisation of the state security outfit was part of his administration’s effort to ensure the security of lives and property.

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