21 killed as gunmen attack Plateau community

Gunmen on Thursday morning attacked Heipang community of Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State, and killed 21 persons.

Daily Trust reports that the attack occurred around 1:00am, when most of the residents of the community were sleeping.

This attack happened three days after a commuter who was returning from Kara, a cattle market in Bukur, was attacked and killed in the Heipang area.

The Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) had on Tuesday condemned the killing of the commuter, explaining that the attack was purely an act of criminality by enemies of peace.

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The spokesperson of the Operation Safe Haven, a multi-security task force maintaining peace in the state, Captain Ola James, had earlier confirmed that 17 persons were killed in the attack, suspecting that the attack was a reprisal to the killing of the commuter on Monday.

However, BYM’s spokesperson, Rwang Tengwong, in a statement yesterday, said aside from the 17 persons killed in the community, four more bodies of vigilantes were recovered.

He said: “21 persons have been reportedly killed in an attack on two different villages in Heipang community of Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State by Fulani militia alongside bandits.

“After carrying out the attack in Heipang town, on sighting the attackers, vigilante members from Rayogot who were on the alert tried to stop them but, in the process, four persons were killed.

“The incident ought to have ordinarily been averted going by the security alerts given out to all relevant bodies including OPSH, but the attacks were still carried out.”

Meanwhile, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has denied the allegation that the killing was carried out by members of the group.

Nuru Abdullahi, MACBAN chairman in Plateau State, condemned the incident, describing it as barbaric.

He blamed the security agents for not responding swiftly before the attack was launched.

He said, “We condemn the attack in its totality. It is also surprising that we are being accused of attacking the community. That is not true. We have learnt that there was a warning signal that there would be an attack on the community and the security agencies were informed.  This attack could have been averted if the security had responded on time.

“We are calling on the security agencies to do everything possible to fish out the perpetrators of the incident. This attack is condemnable and uncalled for.”