Four reported killed as armed men storm Plateau community

Four persons were reportedly killed and ten others missing in a Wednesday night attack on Gashes district, Barkinladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Two residents, Chuwang Moses and Yohana Samson, in separate interviews also told PREMIUM TIMES that many other residents ran into a nearby bush during the attack. Some of those who escaped were yet to be seen as at Thursday afternoon, they said.

The spokesperson of the Plateau State Police Command, Terna Tyopev, confirmed the attack in a telephone interview, but could not ascertain the casualty figure.

Mr. Tyopev said police personnel have been deployed to the scene of the incident.

“The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area is on his way to the affected area, he will avail us with the details of the incident later,” he said.

Gashes district, like many other parts of Plateau, has witnessed several attacks by yet to be identified persons.

In May, armed persons set ablaze the house of the district head of Gashes, who narrowly survived the attack.

The latest attack in Gashes occurs about a day after gunmen attacked and killed four members of an extended family in Kwal, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau on Tuesday night.

Plateau is one of the states most affected by violence between farmers and herders. Other affected states include Benue, Taraba and Adamawa.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the federal government recently launched a plan to permanently resolve such crisis.