It was a black Christmas day for some communities in Plateau State, as rampaging gunmen killed no fewer than 100 people, injured many, and displaced quite a lot of residents of the affected communities in a midnight operation on Christmas Eve.
Recall that sixteen people were last Saturday killed and many injured in the Lisham community, of the Mangu local government area, by gunmen suspected to be killer herdsmen.
It was gathered that the rampaging gunmen, in an operation similar to guerilla warfare, carried out simultaneous attacks on twenty-seven villages and communities in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas, respectively.
According to reports, the marauders attacked Butura Kampani, Fatamba, Fashar, Garau, Angwan No., and Mbar communities in the Bokkos local government area, which are: Ruku, Hurum, Darwat, Mai Yanga Sabo, and NTV villages in Gashish, and Ropp districts of Barkin-Ladi local government area.
A security source disclosed that the attacks were carried out simultaneously in these communities at about 10:00 p.m., when the inhabitants had gone to bed.
The Transition Committee Chairmen of Bokkos local government area, Monday Kasa, who confirmed the attacks to newsmen, said no fewer than 20 villages were attacked simultaneously in the LGA during the midnight raid, which he said lasted for more than three hours.
She said, ” The attack was a surprise to us; the villages and the communities were attacked at the same time, precisely between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. The number of casualties was high, and so far we have picked over five corpses.
“As I am talking to you, we are still moving from one village to another, picking up the remains of those gruesomely killed by these terrorists. Those who escaped with injuries are presently receiving treatment at various hospitals and clinics both within and outside the local government.”.
Also, an association, the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM), in an issued statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, pointed out that nine people were killed at NTV, five at Mai Yanga Sabo, three at Darwat, and one at Hurun.
The association added that the act of terrorism led to the complete displacement of thousands of people, which not only demonstrates a blatant disregard for human life but also seeks to undermine the peace and unity that are at the core of Nigerian values.
It, therefore, called on the Government and relevant authorities, not only to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident, identify those responsible, and bring them to justice, but to swiftly come up with palliative packages as well as compensation for the victims, just as it was recently accorded to Kaduna victims of bombings.
The BYM further urged the Government to take immediate and decisive action to prevent further attacks and ensure the safety and security of all citizens, regardless of their ethnic or religious background.
All efforts to get official confirmation from Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in-charge of security in the state through its Media Information Officer, Captain Oya James, proved abortive.
