By Desire Emmanuel
Gunmen in Plateau State have killed a man as well as two women and injured a one-year-old child in Fan District of Barakin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, as they also attacked a mining site in the council area.
According to a statement issued by the Berom Youth Moulder, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, the incident occurred on Friday at about 10:00 pm at the bridge between Gassa and Nding in the local government area.
It said that the man and the women were commuters heading back to Barakin-Ladi’s Fan District, but they were killed by the gunmen suspected to be terrorists operating in the Jong area of Ropp District, which has become their operating base.
According to the statement, they were ambushed and shot at close range, while the one-year-old who was carried by one of the women was injured during the incident.
Also, shortly after the incident, the gunmen attacked a mining site in Rabuk village of Nding where about 200 persons were working. However, the workers had got information about the gunmen and had fled before their arrival.
The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM) which condemned the attacks said the incidents were not isolated, claiming that they formed part of a disturbing and well-coordinated pattern of violence spreading across Plateau State.
The association said: “BYM is deeply worried that these latest attacks in Nding occurred barely a day after the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) made unverified and inflammatory allegations that over 100 cows were rustled at Ganawuri in Riyom Local Government Area, blaming Berom youths from Vwang in Jos South Local Government Area.
“This claim, like many before it, raises serious and unanswered questions. How did Berom youths allegedly move into Ganawuri to rustle such a large number of cattle without any trace?
“Are there no criminal elements within the axis where the alleged incident occurred, or even among the Fulani, given that cattle rustling has long been proven to be a crime that knows no tribe or religion? No society anywhere in the world is without bad eggs.”
The association disclosed that the latest attacks, coming after such unsubstantiated claims, reinforces its position that these narratives are often used as smokescreens to justify or trigger violent assaults on communities.
As of the time of writing this report, neither the state government nor the state police command had reacted to the latest killings.
