A victim of the horrific Christmas Eve attack in Plateau State, Mr Kazeem Lawal, has narrated how he lost his son, cousin and valuable items, including his house during the incident.
On December 24, unknown gunmen overran more than 17 villages in Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, and two other districts, burning down houses and killing residents.
As at the time of this report, over 100 people have been confirmed dead while several people were hospitalised.
Lawal, who resides in one of the villages in Barkin Ladi, told journalists days later that apart from losing two family members in the incident, his house and cars were burnt down by the assailants.
Also, his wife, Yemisi Lawal, said the attack was carried out by the religious extremists who have been terrorising the area for some years
According to her, “I am a Christian and my husband is a Muslim, we are happy together but one thing I noticed is that some people are bent on eliminating Christians in that area and they have long been threatening and making attempts to attack churches.
“On that fateful day I have left for church with my two children while my husband, his cousin and his first child born by another woman were at home. We scampered for safety when we started hearing gunshots. After about an hour, people started calling their loved ones, my husband’s line was not reachable and I was afraid he might have been attacked. I left my children in the church and managed to get to my house, on getting home, I saw my husband crying, every thing has been razed, our house, cars, everything.
“It was later that he told me that his cousin and son were shot and they didn’t survive the attack, I was embittered and panicked at the same time, I wept, it was the saddest day of my life, I am yet to recover from the schock.”
Also, Mr Lawal lamented, “I don’t know where to start, cars were burnt, my house, everything gone, I have not changed clothes since three days now, only God can help me because I am saddened and downcasted by this development.
“We left South-West, but due to an attack on my father and mother by some members of his family over chieffaincy matter and land dispute, this place we call ancestral home is no longer habitable, the government must do something to help us.”
Recall that the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Okoro Alawari, disclosed that 96 persons were killed while 221 houses were set ablaze during the Christmas Eve attacks by the gunmen.
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