Gunmen Kill 12 In Fresh Attack In PLateau Community

Suspected gunmen have killed at least 12 persons in Pushit community in the Mangu local government area of Plateau State on Thursday in a fresh attack.

Our correspondent learnt that the attack leading to the death of the victims occurred in the late hours of Thursday.

Recall that just last week, gunmen killed no fewer than 10 persons in Mandung-Mushu and Kopnanle villages, in the Bokkos and Mangu local government areas of the state.

They also left several persons injured, with property, including the homes of the villagers, set ablaze.

Chairman of Mangu local government area, Markus Argue, confirmed the latest killings to our correspondent in Jos on Friday.

He said, “Yes, it is true that our people have just been attacked again and killed for no reason. It happened last night. As I talk to you, I’m in the affected community in Pushit. I can not give you the figure of victims for now because we are still assessing the situation but what we don’t understand is why some people will just target women and children in their homes and just kill them for no reason.”

Similarly, a community leader in Pushit, who gave his name simply as John also told LEADERSHIP that 12 dead bodies had so far been recovered at the scene of the attack and the nearby bush.

According to him, “So far, we have recovered 12 dead bodies of individuals who were brutally murdered during the attack in the Pushit community and their bodies recovered.”

He stated that the identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed, pending notification of their families.

“The law enforcement agencies are also here and have initiated investigations into the matter to ascertain the motive behind these heinous crimes and to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for this reprehensible act,” he added.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, could not be immediately reached for comment on the incident but reliable sources at the Police Command headquarters in Jos said that security operatives had been deployed to the affected community.

In another development, women in Bokkos local government area of the State have taken to the streets in protest over the renewed violent attacks by gunmen in their communities.

According to some residents in Bokkos town, the protesting women headed to the local government headquarters to register their grievances over the renewed killings in the area.