Attack: Fear grips Plateau community as gunmen ‘vow to return’

A community in Gashish District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State has been living in fear since Thursday night when gunmen attacked a mother and her son in their house.

As a result of the attack, which happened at about 8pm, the son, Daniel Mwantiri, lost his life, while his mother, Ladi Mwantiri, was seriously injured and is currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

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Since the Thursday attack, it was gathered that residents of the community have not only been living in fears but have also been leaving their community for safer places.

The leader of the community, Sunday Dariyan, who narrated the incident to Daily Trust, said their fear was further intensified on Friday morning when they got ‘information’ from some sources that the gunmen have vowed to return.

Dariyan explained that when the ‘information’ spread around the community, people started running helter-skelter, while some began packing and leaving for safety.

“I call on the government to provide us with security and safeguard our lives.

“We have only four security men in the entire community and is not enough.

“I also call on the government to organize a town-hall meeting with the different ethno-religious groups in the area so that they can iron out their differences and put an end to such attacks,” he said.

On whether the four security personnel exchange fire with the attackers, the community leader said before the arrival of the security personnel the gunmen had fled.

When contacted, the spokesman of Plateau State Police Command, Ubah Ogaba, told our correspondent that he would make inquiries and get back but he didn’t pick his subsequent calls or return the text message sent to him as a reminder.