Gunmen have killed at least nine members of a family, including a two-month-old baby, in a late-night attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
A resident of the area, Precious Tok, told Punch Newspaper that the attack began at about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and lasted for more than an hour.
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He said the assailants stormed the communities in large numbers, shooting indiscriminately and attacking residents in their homes.
“The gunmen came in large numbers, shooting everywhere. We could hear screams from the houses. They entered homes and slaughtered people. It was one of the deadliest attacks we have seen here in recent times,” Ms Tok said.
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She said the village head also sustained critical injuries and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
“The victims in one house were nine from the same family. Even a two-month-old baby was not spared. We ran into the bush for safety and only returned this morning to see the bodies,” she added.
Another resident, who asked not to be named for security reasons, described the incident as horrific and appealed to the government to end the recurring attacks.
“We buried our children with our hands again. This is too much. The government should come and help us. Every time they attack at night, and by morning, people are dead. We are tired of running,” the resident said.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), Rwang Tengwong, also confirmed the attack, saying the assailants struck under the cover of darkness.
“The assailants struck when everyone was asleep and unleashed violence on helpless residents,” Mr Tengwong said.
He added that security agencies had been alerted and expressed hope that those responsible would be arrested and prosecuted.
The police had yet to comment on the attack as of the time of filing this report. Calls and a WhatsApp message sent to the police command spokesperson, Alfred Alabo, were not returned.
The latest killings add to a series of deadly attacks recorded across Plateau State in recent weeks.
On 6 July, PREMIUM TIMES reported that six people were killed and another injured in separate attacks on communities in Riyom and Barkin Ladi local government areas. The Berom Youth Moulders Association blamed the attacks on armed Fulani assailants and called for intelligence-driven operations to dismantle criminal camps across the state.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), however, rejected similar allegations made in earlier attacks.
The renewed violence also comes days after suspected gunmen attempted another attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that security operatives repelled the assault on 2 July, killing one of the attackers, while troops of Operation Enduring Peace later announced the arrest of additional suspects allegedly linked to the attack.
The incidents occurred despite recent efforts by the Plateau State Government to strengthen the state’s security architecture.
READ ALSO: Mutfwang seeks unity, forgiveness amid Plateau killings
On 30 June, Governor Caleb Mutfwang appointed a retired brigadier-general, Nash Yakubu, as Coordinator of Operation Rainbow, redeployed Brigadier-General Gakji Shipi Goshwe to coordinate the Safe School Programme, and appointed retired major-general Bala Isandu as Special Adviser on Security, saying the changes were aimed at improving the protection of lives and property across the state.
Residents of the affected communities have renewed calls on the federal and Plateau State governments to deploy more security personnel to vulnerable rural areas and prevent further attacks.
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