Yakubu Busari
At least no fewer than 15 persons have been fear killed and mostly women and children, were on Sunday night massacre by suspected gunmen in Dong village in Jos North Local Government Council of Plateau State as well as Kwi Village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
An eyewitness in the Dong village disclosed this 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 that suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded Kwi village in Riyom Local Government at about 11 pm 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 slaughtering in Kwi village.
He said the attack took place while the villagers were asleep.
The lawmaker, who was on his way to the village, also condemned the attack and described it as barbaric, and as he urged the 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 is identified gunmen came out suddenly from a nearby 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
As Management Committee Chairman of Jos North Local Government Shehu Bala Usman has condemned in strong terms the killing of innocent citizens by unknown persons in Dong village of Jos North last night.
While describing the gruesome murder as condemnable the Local Government Chairman described the unfortunate incident as unacceptable and a setback on the peace process in Plateau State.
Usman called on the inhabitants of the area not to take laws into their hands as security agencies are doing everything possible to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.
The Chairman also used this medium to extend his commiserations to the families of the bereaved and the peace-loving citizens of Dong Village and called for restraint and calm, Mr. Philip Eplong Senior Information Officer Jos North Local Government, said.
