Nine Feared Killed in Violent Attacks in Plateau

Seriki Adinoyi Nine persons have been allegedly killed in a suspected attack and reprisal between Fulani and Berom tribes of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

THISDAY gathered that two Fulani travellers were allegedly killed by a Berom mob last Sunday while the mob was protesting against the arrest of two armed youths by the Special Task Force (STF) deployed to the area..

The killing of the two Fulanis led to a suspected reprisal by the Fulani who killed a family of seven at the early hours of yesterday.

The state Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Haruna Boro Hussaini, confirmed that a Fulani woman and her travelling companion were attacked and killed by a Berom mob on Sunday.

Mr. Langun Jacobs, who lost seven members of his family, said armed gunmen had attacked his house at about 12:30a.m. killing his brother, wife, and children.

“We have reported the matter to the security men and they have come to see the corpses. The chairman of Barkin Ladi local council also came to see us too,” he said.

The STF Media and Information Officer, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said: “We arrested two youths suspected to have planned to attack Sho village. Two AK47 riffles were recovered from them.”

But Berom women and youths on Sunday afternoon blocked the highway in Barkin Ladi in a protest that took them to the STF Sector 7 where they demanded the release of the arrested youths

One Mr. Titus Samuel Kasem revealed that the community was angry over the arrest of the youths because the arms were meant to protect them against incessant Fulani attacks.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command , Abuh Emmanuel, also confirmed that six persons were killed in the early hours of yesterday.

In his reaction, the Chairman of Barkin Ladi Local government council, Hon. Emmanuel Loman, while confirming the attack yesterday afternoon in Jos, said the attack occurred around 11p.m. on Sunday night where a family of seven were killed.

He said: “The attackers started since last week in some villages of the locality and continued again yesterday about 11p.m. where the family Baba Jacob and seven members of his family were attack by the same fulanis and killed the entire family.”

According to the chairman, “There was a demonstration on Sunday by the women of the local government area to express the grievances on the attack that took place in some villages where the villagers were busy defending themselves in their homes when the men of the Special Task Force surrounded them and collected their weapons and allowed the Fulanis to go free without being arrested.

“The women were angry that two of their children were apprehended and they felt bad that instead of the STF to arrest the attackers, they arrested the innocent youths who were defending themselves.”

Loman said he had informed the authorities concerned to take action on the behaviour of some of the STF members in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area and condemn the situation, saying the attackers are well known to some members of the STF.