At least 27 farmers, both men and women, were killed by gunmen in a fresh attack on the Bindi Jebbu area of the Tahoss community in Riyom Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau state.
The chairman of Riyom LGA, Bature Sati Shuwa, while confirming this stated that the attack, which occurred on Monday, July 14 also left many people injured, with several rushed to hospitals, including the Jos University Teaching Hospital and Plateau Hospital.
He said that the gunmen, suspected to be members of the Fulani ethnic group, stormed the community, shooting sporadically and setting several houses ablaze
Shuwa stated “Twenty seven persons were killed and many were injured. We have taken the bodies to different hospitals before the burial.
“What happened in Jebu this morning is the usual Fulani crime against humanity, deliberately carried out under the watch of some security agents who are said to have been compromised by colluding with the attackers.
“The Berom Youth Moulders(BYM), during an on-the-spot assessment at the scene of the attack, eyewitnesses under anonymity commended the unit commander of operation safe haven, stationed at Sopp for their gallantry demonstrated in repelling the attackers from one end, but also registered their loss of confidence in the reinforcement team of the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) that came and stationed itself by the roadside, where the massacre was perpetrated even up to 6 am.”
Shuwa mentioned that all corpses had been deposited at the morgues, with a burial date to be announced in due course, this attack has once again underscored the significant security challenges in Plateau State, where communities have recently been subjected to recurrent targeting by armed groups.
The incident has also sparked considerable concern and outrage, prompting numerous calls for increased security measures to safeguard the lives and property of citizens, the Plateau state government had, in the preceding week, recruited 150 new agro rangers as part of its efforts to enhance security within the state.
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