Barely 24 hours after gunmen killed three persons in Ancha community, in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, seven persons have been burnt to death in a fresh attack by some gunmen in the neighbouring Hukke village in the council area.
Spokesman for the Miango Youth Development Association, Mr Lawrence Zongo, told our correspondent that the gunmen, who came in their large numbers, also set ablaze about 23 houses when they attacked the village in the early hours of Thursday.
Zongo said, “The attackers were more than 300 persons. During the attack, they killed and burnt seven beyond recognition. We also counted more than 23 houses that were set ablaze by the attackers.”
The youth leader gave the names of those killed as Izinpa Muntu (72 years), Madah Imeh (80), Jummai Geye (78), Gado Muntu (67), Mary Alhassa (70), Gado Ngulu (90) and Rigwe Muntu (84).
Spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, ASP Ubah Ogaba, said, “The Commissioner of Police, Mr Isaac Akinmoyede, has visited the scene of the attack.”
The police boss reportedly assured the people that his men would do everything possible to ensure that justice was done in the killings while soliciting for any useful information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.
The Chairman of the ECWA District Church Council, Rev. Sunday Kosu, told the CP that the people had suffered untold wickedness in the hands of the gunmen.
He urged the commissioner to send more policemen to protect the community.
Meanwhile, the senator representing the Plateau North in the Senate, Istifanus Gyang, condemned the killings in his constituency.
In a statement on Thursday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Musa Ashoms, the senator said it was necessary for the police and Operation Safe Haven to rise up to their primary responsibility of securing the lives of citizens both in the cities and rural areas.