21 killed as gunmen attack Plateau communities

No fewer than 21 persons were killed and several others injured on Sunday during coordinated attacks by yet-to-be identified gunmen on residents of Rim, Jol, Kwi communities of Riyom LGA as well as Gana-Ropp community in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.

DAILY POST gathered that two people were killed in Rim village, seven in Jol, eleven in Kwi all in Riyom LGA; while a clergyman, Rev. Nichodemus Kim was killed in Gana-Ropp community of Barkin Ladi LGA of the state.

It was also gathered that the attacks on Rim, Jol and Kwi were simultaneously coordinated by the terrorists between the hours of 2pm and 7pm.

According to a source, “In Kwi, an entire community, Hei-gwe was completely burned down and over a hundred farmlands were destroyed”.

Another source told DAILY POST that in Gana-Ropp, Rev. Nichodemus Kim with the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) was attacked at about 8pm at home and the assailants opened fire on him.

Reacting to the incident, the National Publicity Secretary of Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) Comrade Rwang Tengwong, said, “It is a great concern that these communities, especially, Rim, Jol and Kwi have come under several attacks in the last two weeks, yet, Sunday (yesterday) went on for hours without the intervention of the Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven-OPSH.

According to him, “More worrisome is the fact that Mahanga which is the base of those terrorising these communities, is known, yet, no effort has been made by security personnel to raid the place.

“Also, for over a decade now, the Special Task Force in the state has not addressed these killings in the state.

“The BYM, under the leadership of Solomon Dalyop Mwantiri, hereby condemns the coordinated attacks and other forms of provocation meted out on innocent people of Plateau since the 2023 general elections.

“We call on the new administration both at the federal and state levels to come up with new strategies to address the security situation in the country and particularly, in Plateau State.

“Security personnel must also wake up to their statutory responsibility to safeguard lives and property,” he added.

The BYM equally called on the Berom nation to remain calm and law abiding in all these.

The group, however, urged its members to explore every avenue to defend their communities, as they could not sit and watch while they are killed one after another.