Tragedy Strikes Again in Plateau, Villagers Attacked, Lives Lost

Gunmen, suspected to be terrorists, have reportedly invaded Shere village in the Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday morning, leaving at least two villagers dead and one attacker neutralised.

This incident comes one week after similar attacks in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi council areas in the state that claimed around 200 lives and caused widespread destruction.

A resident, a hunter in the village, engaged the attackers armed with AK-47 rifles and heavy weaponry, successfully killing one of them.

According to sources speaking to SaharaReporters, a joint security team comprising soldiers, police, civil defense corps, and specialised forces is currently engaged in a shootout with the assailants.

While the police have acknowledged the incident, they have labelled it as a suspected kidnapping episode.

DSP Alfred Alabo, the Command’s spokesman, confirmed the incident, stating, “It was a case of attempted kidnapping.” He further regretted the deaths of two victims and the neutralisation of one assailant.

Addressing the recent attacks in Plateau, the state police authorities confirmed the assaults, revealing that at least 86 individuals had lost their lives, with 221 homes completely razed in the onslaught by the gunmen across 15 communities in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi local government areas.

The global response to these incidents has been swift. The United Nations urged the Nigerian government to ensure accountability and prosecute the attackers. The United States Mission in Nigeria and French Diplomacy also condemned the attacks, calling for justice and offering full support to the Nigerian government in identifying and prosecuting the culprits.

Earlier in December, American experts in religious freedom, including former federal legislators, expressed concern over the state of religious freedom in Nigeria. They appealed for Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, stressing the urgent need for action due to the dire situation and immediate threat to thousands of Nigerians’ lives.