A photographer in Plateau State, Mandong David, on Tuesday, narrated how he lost his 11 family members to coordinated attacks carried out by gunmen in several communities of the state on Christmas Eve.
The PUNCH reports that over 20 villagers were affected during the attacks which occurred in the three local government areas of the state including Barkin Ladi, Mangu, and Bokkos.
More than 150 persons were killed in the attacks while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed
David, who spoke with The PUNCH in Jos on Tuesday after the victims were given a mass burial, said that the pains of loving close family members had been traumatic for him.
David said, “I lost eleven close family members in the attacks among them was my father, five uncles, and four cousins as well as my aunt.
“They are Prince David Jalang (father), Emmanuel A. Jalang, Fidelis S. Jalang , Gaius Adamu, Matawal Gaius, Solomon Langwen,Mafulul Langwen, Mahanan Maryom,Nafor J. Makut, Mildred J. Makut and Maren P. Masok.
“From what I gathered, they were all in Maiyanga village in the Bokkos Local Government when the attackers came. My father and 18 other villagers started running when the attackers started setting houses on fire and shooting anyone who tried to escape.
“They have actually left Maiyanga village but unknown to them, other gunmen who were laying ambush on the road shot and killed all of them. Their death was quite tragic. We just returned from their mass burial today.”
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 displaced persons are currently taking refuge at different locations including schools, churches, and mosques as well as private residents following the attacks
Places housing the internally displaced persons in the Bokko LGA included Malja’u Sunnah schools, Jibrin Abubakar’s residence, the Christ Apostolic Church District headquarters, Church of Christ in Nations, ECWA Church, and Saint Peters Catholic Church.
A resident of Bokkos and Chairman of Community Peace Observers in the Council Area, Kefas Mallai, told our correspondent that many of the villages had been deserted as those who escaped relocated to the Bokkos town
Mallai said “We have over 10,000 displaced persons right now in Bokkos alone. Many of them are in churches and mosques including schools and private residents. What we have here is a humanitarian crisis. The people need help because we learnt that even today, the assailants are still attacking some villages in the area”
Meanwhile, the state Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, on Tuesday condemned the attacks on the communities in Bokkos, Mangu, and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of the state.
He noted the attacks had resulted in the tragic loss of several lives and destruction of property.
Mutfwang emphasized the resilience of the Plateau people in the face of the unprovoked assaults and called for united efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for these heinous acts.
In a statement in Jos on Tuesday, the governor said more than 20 villages had been deserted, with numerous houses destroyed and millions of naira worth of property lost.
Mutfwang acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support for the Nigerian Army in maintaining security. He also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, and the Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN for their commitment to addressing various security challenges facing Plateau and the nation.
He stated, “It is disheartening that we have lost numerous lives due to incessant attacks in Mangu, Bokkos, and Barkin-Ladi. These senseless and unprovoked acts are unnecessary and unjustifiable. I appeal to the sponsors of these attacks to reconsider, as there is nothing to gain from such violence. The spirit of the Plateau people will not be broken.”
The governor praised the bravery and sacrifices of security personnel, acknowledging the injuries sustained by some during efforts to secure the affected villages.
While expressing sympathy for the affected families and communities, Mutfwang urged citizens to stand strong, assuring them that the government was actively working to address the situation. He called upon the National Emergency Management Agency and the state Emergency Management Agency to swiftly respond to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the attacks.
Also, the governor, in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, said, “The only guarantee is that the security agencies do their work. When people resort to self-help, it tends to degenerate into lawlessness.
“This is what we want to avoid because it is not as if the people who are being attacked cannot defend themselves, but they are being killed because they want to be obedient and law-abiding. And it may get to the point that we may not be able to restrain them from also resorting to defending themselves.
As a government, we will continue to ensure that those charged with the constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property do it as efficiently as possible to avoid pushing people into the temptation of taking laws into their own hands.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has condemned the attacks.
Abbas in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, described the attacks as barbaric and heinous
He noted with concern the trend of attacks by gunmen, bandits, and other criminals, who kill innocent Nigerians for fun.
He charged the security and intelligence agencies to forestall further loss of lives and property on the Plateau and other parts of the country even as he urged them to go after the perpetrators of the dastardly act, apprehend and bring them to book.
