At least nine people, including a pastor, have been killed in separate attacks across Barkin Ladi, Riyom and neighbouring communities in Plateau State.
The attacks occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning, with five passengers reportedly killed while travelling to Gana-Ropp in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
The National President of the Mwaghavul Development Association, Bulus Dabit, confirmed the Gana-Ropp killings on Sunday, saying the victims were passengers travelling to the area as labourers.
“We evacuated the corpses of five persons from Gana-Ropp. They were passengers who were travelling as labourers,” the Pyem Youth Leader in Gana-Ropp, Ukasha Garaba, said.
Dabit condemned the killings and urged security agencies to identify and arrest those behind the attacks.
At Dorowa Babuje, two people, including a pastor, were also reportedly killed while travelling to church on Sunday morning.
The spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the incident and said the pastor was attacked while on his way to church.
“We condemn these attacks in the strongest terms. The killing of innocent people must stop,” Tengwong said.
A woman was also reportedly killed at Baten Wereng in Riyom Local Government Area on Saturday night, while another person was killed at Ratyidi in Fan District.
The renewed violence has also been accompanied by reports of cattle being killed or stolen around Dorowa Maranba and the Kantoma axis at about 3am on Sunday.
Gambo Abubakar, Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Barkin Ladi, confirmed the cattle-rustling report and called for an investigation and restoration of calm.
Tension was said to have remained high in Kantoma and nearby communities following the attacks.
The Plateau State Police Command spokesman, Alabo Alfred, had not responded to inquiries on the incidents as of the time of filing this report.
However, sources at the command headquarters said the Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Faniyan, had ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to the affected communities.
Pastor, eight others killed in fresh Plateau attacks
