No fewer than nine persons including a pregnant woman were killed on Wednesday in a fresh attack by gunmen in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The local government especially Irigwe chiefdom has been under constant attacks by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in the past two months. Just last week, no fewer than 12 person were killed in a midnight raid in the area.
Tribune Online learnt that in the latest attack which occurred at about 12:15 am and lasted still the early hours of Wednesday in Hurra community of Irigwe chiefdom, several houses along with other property were burnt by the marauders while nine persons were killed.
Worried by the latest onslaught against his people, President of Irigwe Development Association, Mr Sunday Abdul, who confirmed the attack, said it was unfortunate that such act can take place when there was a lockdown imposed by the state government.
Abdul said: “We woke up this morning to the cries and wailing of our people. When I enquired, they told me nine persons including a pregnant woman have again been killed by gunmen who raided Hurra village in Kwall district of Bassa Local Government Area. Several houses have also been burnt down before the attackers left the village.”
Also speaking on the incident, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Dan Manjang, said that government was aware of the killings and described the incident as wickedness and a ploy to disrupt the prevailing peace in the state.
He said the incident was the handiwork of crisis merchants whom he said were fuelling insecurity in the council area for personal benefits, adding that government had sent security operatives to the affected community to contain the situation
“We are aware of the fresh killings in Bassa. No government will be happy to see its citizens being killed. It is unfortunate that while government is doing everything possible to ensure the sustenance of peace in the state, some people who were benefiting from the crisis were bent on scuttling government’s efforts but government will not allow them to succeed in their evil agenda,” he said.
All efforts to get the reaction of the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ubah Gabriel, on the killings proved abortive