Musa Pam, Jos
At least 15 persons, mostly women and children, were on Sunday night killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Dong village in Jos North Local Government and Kwi Village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
A resident of Dong village told New Telegraph on Monday morning that the assailants gained access to the village late on Sunday night and killed an entire family of six, including a cleaner, while two others were killed separately.
Also the same night a source disclosed to New Telegraph that suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded Kwi village in Riyom Local Government at about 11pm and also wiped out another family of seven.
The member representing Riyom Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly Hon. Timothy Dantong confirmed the slaughter in Kwi village
He said the attack took place while the villagers were asleep.
The lawmaker, who was on his way to the village, condemned the attack and described it as barbaric, and urged security agencies to arrest the criminals
He expressed sadness that his constituents were persistently being killed by unknown gunmen, pointing out that Riyom had been suffering attacks since 2001.
Meanwhile the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state’s Police Command, ASP Gabriel Ogaba confirmed the killing of seven persons in a statement on Monday morning in Jos.
“On Sunday 23/05/2021 at about 2000hrs, the Command received a distress call that yet to be identified gunmen came out suddenly from a near by bush, invaded Dong Village, Jos South LGA and killed seven persons.
“A combined team of Policemen, STF, Vigilante operatives, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, raced swiftly to the scene but the hoodlums had already fled back into the bush.
“Investigation is ongoing, frantic effort is on to arrest the fleeing suspects.
“Meanwhile Security has been beefed up in that area to prevent escalation of violence.”