By YUSUFU IDEGU, Jos-
Residents of Jos North and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau state have been throwned into mourning following a midnight attack by unknown gunmen which led to the death of 14 people.
One of the attack took place at about 8pm last Sunday night in Dung village which is less than five kilometer from Jos, the Plateau state capital.
The second attack which took place about 11pm same date was at Kwi village of Riyom LGA of Plateau state where a family of three were killed.
Dung and Kwi villages have been attacked in similar manner more than four times since 2012.
The Special Military Task Force code named “Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) stationed in Jos has confirmed the attack, saying the gunmen committed the crime and fled before troop could reach there.
The task force who only confirmed that of Dung village said, “at about 2000hrs on Sunday, the Command received a distress call that some yet to be identified gunmen came out suddenly from a near by bush, invaded Dong Village, Jos North LGA and killed seven persons”.
“A combined team of policemen, STF, vigilante operatives led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operation, 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”, he said.
Reacting to the attack, The Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial Zone, Senator Istifanus Gyang said “Shortly after the IGP issued a security alert on likely terror attacks on Jos and the FCT, the blood merchants have brought terror to Dong community on Sunday night, where 14 persons were butchered to dead, including children.
Senator Gyang, whose constituents have been victims of sustained attacks, loss of lives and displacement from ancestral homes, condemns in strong terms the renewed attacks as being dastardly, wicked and unwarranted.
Senator Gyang, who reacted through a statement signed by Musa Ashom in Jos on Monday expressed concern that available information indicates that some persons at a meeting with the Police the week preceding the attacks, vowed to visit mayhem on helpless communities. It is therefore incumbent on the Plateau State Police Commissioner to arrest and prosecute those persons forthwith.
He further called for decisive action against all those that are known to security agencies, the OPSH, Police and the DSS for the serial killings, displacemment and forceful occupation of ancestral homelands of communities in Plateau North. He says inaction on this matter will amount to condonation and complicity.
The Senator is sad that the peace which the people of Plateau North have been working hard to rebuild is adversely affected by this dastardly attacks. He called for vigilance and prayers by all well meaning and peace loving citizens.
While reacting to the attacks, The Plateau State Government says it is deeply saddened by the reoccurrence of violence in parts of Dong Kasa in Jos North LGA and Kwi in Riyom on Sunday night, where innocent citizens including children and women were murdered in cold blood.
State Commissioner of Information and Communication, Dan Manjang, described the act as barbaric, callous and a desparate attempt to rupture the peace and security of the State.
While commiserating with families that lost their loved ones and valuables in the two separate attacks, Manjang said Governor Simon Lalong is deeply distressed by the incident and has vowed to ensure that the cherished values of peace and security and the sanctity of lives remains sacrosanct in the State.
Manjang, therefore, said the administration would continue to take measures and work hand in hand with security agencies for the protection of lives and property of citizens.
He also assured the citizens that the Rescue Administration through the Plateau Peace Building Agency, State Inter Religious Council and other non State actors will continue to strengthen the peace and cohesion of people of the state while criminals are fished out and dealt with according to the law.
The commissioner, however, urged citizens to continue to provide useful information that would lead to the prevention of crime and arrest of criminals, assuring the Government is resolved not allow anyone or group to return the state to the dark days of sorrow, tears and blood.
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