By Ade Oyeyemi
At least nine people, including a pastor, have been killed in separate attacks by gunmen across Barkin Ladi, Riyom and neighbouring communities in Plateau State.
The attacks reportedly occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning, with residents in the affected areas left in fear and tension.
Five of the victims were passengers travelling to Gana-Ropp in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area when gunmen attacked their vehicle on Saturday night.
Two other people, including a pastor, were reportedly killed on their way to church at Dorowa Babuje on Sunday morning.
Confirming the Gana-Ropp incident, the National President of the Mwaghavul Development Association, Bulus Dabit, said five people were killed in the attack.
Dabit condemned the violence and urged security agencies to intensify efforts to track down the perpetrators.
“The continued attacks are causing pain and fear among residents and should not be allowed to continue,” he said.
The Pyem Youth Leader in Gana-Ropp, Ukasha Garaba, also confirmed the incident, saying the victims were passengers travelling to the community as labourers.
“We evacuated the corpses of five persons from Gana-Ropp. They were passengers who were travelling as labourers,” Garaba said.
In a separate attack at Dorowa Babuje, two people, including the pastor, were reportedly killed while heading to church.
A woman was also killed at Baten Wereng in Riyom Local Government Area on Saturday night, while another person was reportedly killed at Ratyidi in Fan District.
The spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the attacks and condemned the killings.
“We learnt that the pastor was going to church when he was attacked and killed. We condemn these attacks in the strongest terms,” Tengwong said.
“The killing of innocent people must stop,” he added.
Tengwong urged security agencies to increase their presence in the affected communities, investigate the attacks and apprehend those responsible for the killings.
Meanwhile, several cattle were reportedly killed or stolen around Dorowa Maranba and the Kantoma axis at about 3am on Sunday.
The Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Barkin Ladi, Gambo Abubakar, confirmed the reported cattle rustling and called on security agencies to investigate the incident and restore peace to the area.
Tension was said to have remained high in Kantoma and neighbouring communities following the attacks.
The Plateau State Police Command spokesman, Alabo Alfred, had yet to respond to inquiries about the incidents as of the time of filing this report.
However, sources at the command headquarters said the Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Faniyan, had ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to the affected communities.
