How I Watched Helplessly As My Husband, My Father And Mother-In- Law, 3 Other Family Members Were Massacred By Gunmen In Cold Blood- Survivor Of Riyom Killings

Yakubu Busari

 

Following the killings in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau state where 6 Members of one family have massacred in Danwal a Berom settlement before Ganawuri , universalreportersng.com learnt that only the wife of the man and her one year old baby were lucky to be alive.

 

About six members of one family were brutally murdered on Monday while people were asleep in the night as the assailants stormed the compound and carried out the dastardly act, as gathered the   village is 15km West of College of Nursing, Vom, in Plateau State’s Riyom Local Government Area.

 

The attackers who arrived the village killed without provocation as the community noticed, eyewitnesses told journalists that they came around about 8pm, local time, and carried out the killings where they were speaking Berom and Fulani languages.

 

One among two of the survivals Mrs. Lyop Gideon narrated how the attackers were shooting sporadically before invading their compound, she added; “as they spare my  1year old baby, but they  killed my  husband, Mr. Gideon Gyang, who 30 years , his two parents, two siblings and a cousin before vanishing through a mountain-bound valley.”

 

According to Mrs Lyop  she said she escaped by pretending to be dead, while her baby, Esther Gideon was unhurt in her slain grandmother’s arms, my God saved  me, “I laid down flat on the ground as they were embarking on the free killing of my family members .

 

“My baby crying on top of her grandmother who was also dead but they could butcher her and they quietly left unhurt,” Mrs Lyop said with tears.

 

She explained further that, her family was having dinner together when the heavy-armed men arrived and were all confused by the type of weapons they used, she prayed God to intervene and save the poor people, she added.

 

She said, “My husband was in our room a few meters away from my father in-law’s room where seven of us were eating.

 

“They shot him first, and my terrified mother-in-law started screaming.

 

“As he (husband) was groaning and my mother-in-law screaming, they came into the room where we were, “One of them tried to say something in Berom language but wasn’t so fluent,” she disclosed.

 

“He spoke also in Fulfulde saying ‘Hurut mu hilleh’ after opening fire in the room but I don’t think that language was standard too.”

 

The attack lasted for 5mins with no arrest made, Youth leader of the community, Mr. Dalyop Boi said.

 

Police operatives were however seen at the scene on Tuesday trying to console members of the affected family.

 

The Police Public Relations Officer, Plateau State Command, DSP Tyopev Terna in a statement has solicited for “credible information to track and arrest the perpetrator(s) to face Justice.”

 

At about 0600hrs one Dalyop Boyi ‘m’ the Youth Leader of Nakai Danwal village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State reported to the Plateau State Police Command that at about 1900hrs, unknown gunmen attacked the house of  Gyang Dachung ‘m’ of Nakai Danwal village, as a result, six persons lost their lives.

 

The Command mobilised to the village, the photographs of the corpses were taken and released to the relatives on demand and they were buried according to their traditional rites.

 

The Deputy Commissioner of Police Department of Operations, Plateau State Command, Jos visited the scene.

 

The police patrol of the area is being intensified in order to discourage any reprisal.

The Command is soliciting for credible information to track and arrest the perpetrator(s) to face Justice.