How COCIN Church Clergy, Wife, Three Children Were Killed In Barkin Ladi, Plateau By Suspected Fulani Herdsmen

At least six people were yesterday killed in Barkin Ladi Local Government area of Plateau State in different attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Among those killed is a Pastor of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Rev. Adamu Gyang Wurim, his wife and three children.

Rev. Gyang who was the Pastor in charge of the Church’s branch in Abonong village in Foron district was burnt beyond recognition with his kids in his bedroom while his wife was shot in the bathroom.

The attackers armed with machetes and AK47 rifles reportedly stormed the village at about 8pm, shooting sporadically and burning houses including part of the Reverend’s house.

“They first shot at two young men walking out of the village where they had gone to charge their phones at the deceased Pastor’s house, killing one and wounding the other,” Chairman of the Berom Youth Movement, Foron branch, Mr. Thomas Tsok said.

Four other people according to him were shot in the morning of Wednesday in Fan and Bek villages by Special Task Force operatives.

The herders he said rustled 60 cattle from nearby Zayit village where they destroyed a Church.

The attackers who also destroyed furniture and other facilities in COCIN Church Abonong mowed down grown maize crops across 15 farms to create a road to the target village, Mr. Tsok disclosed.

An earlier attack on Tuesday by suspected herdsmen at a mining site in Wereh village, Ropp district of the same B/Ladi LGA had resulted in the killing of one and wounding of another.

Six other villages – Loh-Fan, Loh-Pwat, Nafan, Sagas, Nzom and Ude villages were also attacked same Tuesday night according to the member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom constituency in the Federal House of Reps, Hon. Istifanus Gyang.

Hon. Gyang in a press statement accused the government of complicity following the renewed attacks which follow the killing of over 200 in northern Plateau two months ago

He said, “These attacks are coming at a time when the people are yet to recover from the massacre of over 200 persons in the same B/Ladi LGA with thousands of the displaced victims still languishing in IDP camps!

“Furthermore, there has been the sustained malicious destruction and mowing down of crops on farms in many villages aimed at strangulating the communities economically as farming is their main economic activity.

“The unfortunate thing is that the perpetrators of these attacks continue to execute their agenda with reckless abandoned without an appropriate response by government!!

“Until decisive action is taken by the Nigerian government against the killer herdsmen to stop the ethnic cleansing and land grabbing, the presumption  is simply that of acquiescence and complicity for which the government shall one day, be held accountable for crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing  and genocide.”

Gyang however appealed to the villagers to be peaceful and law abiding.

The spokesperson to the Special Task Force in Jos was however not responding to calls or text messages as of the time of filing this report.

It was however reported that women had gathered at the STF Headquarters in Barkin Ladi demonstrating against the attacks.

The women were said to have blocked roads demanding justice on the attacks which were feared to still be ongoing in some locations as of the time of publishing.

Our correspondent who visited the affected areas witnessed massive evacuations of women and children from Foron and Heipang villages due to threats of more attacks by the suspected armed herders.

Source: masarakim.blogspot.com