11 persons killed in Plateau, over 50 houses reportedly burnt

It had been reported on Friday that five persons were killed by the herdsmen shortly after President Muhammadu Buharideparted the state.

But according to Punch, the attacked was actually carried out in two villages, and over 50 houses were burnt.

Two twins were said to be part of the 11 people who were murdered by the herdsmen.

The attacks took place in Ganda village of Daffo District in Bokkos Local Government Area and Miango village in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.

The communities were said to have been invaded by the killer-herdsmen a few hours after the inauguration of Plateau State Peace Building Agency by President Buhari.

The President was in the state capital, Jos, on a working visit, after weeks of being criticised for not visiting states that have experienced bloodbath as a result of the herdsmen crisis - he was more berated for not visiting Benue where the herdsmen have massacred over 100 people.

The Spokesperson for the Miango Youth Development Association, Lawrence Zongo, identified the five persons killed in the village as Emmanuel Joseph (16), Christopher Joseph (16), Peace Joseph (6), Henry Audu (25), Illa Isa Peter (52) - three of them were said to be siblings, out of which two of them were a set of twins.

He said, "What happened to us is very bad, (it happened) despite the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari. The state government has been preaching peace but Plateau State went up in flames. Five persons, including a set of twins (Emmanuel Joseph and Christopher Joseph) and their brother, Peace Joseph, were killed.

"We have been devastated and shocked. Despite all the peace meetings with the Fulani people, the assailants keep killing our innocent people without provocation. It is sad that the military cannot arrest the Fulani persons behind the killings. The government has failed in protecting lives and property of citizens. Our demand is that the perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted."

The National President of Irigwe Development Association and a former member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Sunday Abdu, also confirmed the casualty figure of the Bassa attack.

"Yes, it is true that five people were killed in Miango by Fulani herdsmen in an attack which took place on Thursday night and lasted till the early part of Friday. Others were wounded in the unprovoked attack. The bodies of the five slaughtered people have been deposited at the hospital morgue. We are no longer in a hurry to bury our dead. Whenever we are going to bury them, we will let you people know.

"The Fulani herdsmen are killing us but they are the ones crying. What kind of pretence is that? I still appeal to the security personnel not to relent, but to step up vigilance and surveillance to stop this pogrom and unwarranted carnage," Abdu said.

The Spokesperson for Bokkos Local Government Area, Jerry Datim, also confirmed the attack in Ganda.

Datim said that "over 50 houses were burnt, six persons killed at Ganda, while several persons were also injured and rushed to the hospital."

The report also quoted a survivor named Matawal Mangut, who lost five brothers to the attackers in Ganda.

Mangut reportedly lamented that their house was burnt completely and that everything they ever worked for was gone.

He called for "assistance from the federal and state governments" to help protect them from the persistent Fulani herders' attacks in the area.

ALSO READ: What you need to know about Fulani herdsmen, anti-open grazing law, Miyetti Allah

Confirming the killings, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, described the incidents as "culpable homicide and grievous hurt."

Tyopev said, "Yesterday (Thursday), March 8, 2018, at about 8 pm, some unknown gunmen attacked and killed four Irigwe people at Datanko village and one Fulani Christian at Nzharuvo village in Miango District.

"The deceased persons were identified as Emmanuel Joseph (male, 16 years), Christopher Joseph (male, 16 years), Peace Joseph (male, six years), Henry Audu (male, 25 years) and Samuel Isah (male, 48 years).

"Meanwhile, Samuel Isah has been buried, while four other corpses have been deposited at the Jos University Teaching Hospital’s mortuary. Chenka Amos, four, is still lying unconscious at Enos Private Hospital, Miango.

The investigation is in progress; intensive patrol is being sustained."

The herdsmen began the deadly attacks on December 31, 2017, in Benue, where about 50 people were killed.

On January 11, 2018, the Benue government held a mass burial for 73 victims of the herdsmen crisis - subsequent attacks in the state have claimed more lives.