Tension erupted in Gero, a community in the Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Monday after suspected gunmen killed two women, prompting angry protests by residents demanding improved security and justice.
The bodies of the women were reportedly found in the early hours of Monday in the community, located behind the Jos South Local Government Secretariat.
|
|
Protesters, including women and youths, carried the bodies to the council secretariat, accusing authorities of failing to protect residents from recurring attacks.
The protesters also blocked sections of the road leading to the secretariat, disrupting vehicular movement as they demanded urgent government intervention and the arrest of those responsible for the killings.
|
|
|
|---|
One of the protesters, Mary Chollom, described the incident as another painful reminder of the persistent insecurity confronting communities across Plateau State.
“We are tired of burying our loved ones. These women did nothing to deserve this. Government and security agencies must take decisive action to stop these senseless killings and ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” she said.
Ms Chollom urged the federal and Plateau State governments to strengthen security in vulnerable communities and called on security agencies to intensify surveillance to identify and prosecute the attackers.
READ ALSO: Peter Obi demands end to ‘relentless cycle of bloodshed’ in Benue, Plateau
Security personnel were later deployed to the Jos South Local Government Secretariat and surrounding areas to prevent a breakdown of law and order, while normalcy gradually returned to the community.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, Alfred Alabo, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls and messages at the time of filing this report.
The latest attack adds to a series of violent incidents that have continued to cause concerns over security in parts of Plateau State despite ongoing efforts by security agencies to curb the violence.
