Gyang Bere, Jos
No fewer than 25 persons were killed Monday night by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Dundu village of Kwal District, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Daily Sun gathered that the attack, which occurred at about 7pm, left several houses burnt and scores injured.
It was learnt that the attackers took the villagers unawares when they were preparing to take their dinner and the entire village was enveloped by gunfire from the attackers, leaving children, women and the aged scampering for safety.
A youth leader, Lawrence Timothy, said 25 corpses have been found, while more were still being recovered from the bush .
“The suspected Fulani herdsmen stormed the village at about 7pm, when people were preparing for dinner. Children and women, including men who kept vigil in the community, were taken unawares; 25 persons were killed, while several others were injured. Houses and foodstuff were destroyed.
Police public relations officer, Plateau State Police Command, ASP Tyopev Marthias Terna, confirmed the incident and said he was yet to get details of the casualty. He pledged to call the DPO of Bassa Local Government Area to get details and communicate to our reporter as soon as possible, but by press time he was yet to call.
Meanwhile, Irigwe women from Miango District of Bassa Local Government Area, yesterday, took over the major streets in the famous Terminus Market, Ahmadu Bello Way, Tafawa Balewa Street and Gada-Buyu road in Jos to protest the killing of women and children during the attacks in Miango villages.
The women protested to the mortuary of the temporary site of the Jos University Teaching Hospital, where five corpses of children aged between 12 and 17 years were deposited.
The women, dressed in black, carried leaves and placards to register their displeasure over the recurring episodes of killings in the communities. They returned more devastated from the mortuary when the news of the killing of over 23 persons was broken.
Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, gave marching orders to the security agents in the state to arrest and prosecute the criminals that perpetrated the killings in various communities.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yakubu Dati, the governor said that the state would not condone the activities of hoodlums who take advantage of conflicts among citizens to carry out killings and destruction of property in the name of ethnic crisis.
The Plateau State Police Command has also confirmed the killing of 25 persons by herdsmen in Dundu. Terna, police spokesman, said two persons were injured and several houses burnt.
According to him, “Twenty-five people were killed in a fresh attack in Dundu village and two others were injured. The Commissioner of Police has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Taiwo Jebiyisu, to the scene of crime for an on-the-spot assessment.”