No fewer than 18 persons were feared killed when gunmen struck on Friday morning in Tilengpan community in Mangu Local Government area of Plateau state.
Four Bokkos communities in the state were on Thursday, April 18.
It was reported that 12 individuals were reportedly killed in Mangu villages this morning, with an additional six persons murdered in four Bokkos communities, along with a university student last night.
Source from the communities alleged that a group of terrorists invaded Tilengpat community and four villages of Bokkos communities to carry out the attacks.
The chairman of the local government, Monday Kassam, who confirmed the unfortunate incident said the militias came into the local government and launched deadly attacks on four communities and left six people dead.
He explained that just like any of thier deadly operations, they came into those communities including the off campus hostel of the Students of Plateau State University shooting sporadically into the air to announce thier arrival.
According to him, six people were killed including a female student of the university who was shot in his room adding that this later sparked off a protest by the students of the university in the early hours of Friday.
He said: “The following morning, the students came out in thier large number, they were demonstrating when one of them was shot again based on the information I heard from the eyewitness account
“And the militias not satisfied had to come in again this morning despite the presence of security. They were given a chase but I don’t know the number of casualties but as of yesterday six persons were reported dead’.
Furthermore, a statement by the liason officer to governor Mutfwang, Hon. Bala Fwangje, stated that, “We, on behalf of the Liaison office for Mangu South State Constituency, strongly condemn the recent senseless attacks in Talengpat village of Pushit District, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. It is disheartening to hear that at least 12 innocent lives have been lost in this tragic event.
“We call upon the Inspector General of Police, Special Task Force, and all other relevant security agencies to immediately respond and restore normalcy to the affected communities. The safety and security of our people must be prioritized at all times.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the families of the victims who have lost their loved ones in this brutal attack. We demand a thorough investigation into the root causes of this violence, which has been ongoing since 17th April 2023.
“We implore the security agencies to swiftly apprehend the masterminds behind these atrocities and bring them to justice. It is crucial for the government at all levels to intervene and prevent further escalation of the situation in Mangu LGA and surrounding areas.
In a statement signed by the Registrar, Yakubu F. Ayube, noted that, the Plateau State University Community woke up to the sad news of another heartless attack on Chikam, a community close to the university.
It explained that, the sad event led to the loss of a 200 level,computer science student of the University residing in Chikam, by name Dading James Jordan.
It added that this is coming despite the relentless effort by the Plateau State government, security agencies, the Management of the University and other stakeholders at improving the security situation on our campus and the surrounding communities.
“Unfortunately, the enemies of the University and the state brought thus dastardly attack leading to the loss of our dear student.
“The vice-chancellor and the entire management convey their condolences to the family of the deceased, the student body and the university community.
“In view of this sad development, Management has declared a two-day mourning period on Friday 19” and Saturday 20 Apri, 2024.
“Accordingly, all the examinations earlier scheduled for Friday 19 and Saturday 20” April, 2024 are herby suspended.
“While calling on our students to remain caim and law abiding, we wish to call on the security agencies to beef up security around the university in order to secure staff and students as we look into other ways of making the University more secure.
The senator representing, Plateau central, Diket Plang, described the deadly attacks as unfortunate, when he visited Telengpat in Pushit, Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) following a tragic incident that occurred last night. Twelve people were reported murdered in the area.
During his visit, Sen. Plang met with local leaders, community members, and security officials to assess the situation and offer support to the affected families.
He expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in the region and pledged to work closely with relevant authorities to ensure the safety and security of the people of Plateau Central.
Sen. Plang called for an immediate investigation into the incident and urged the community to remain calm and vigilant while security agencies work to apprehend the perpetrators.
He emphasized the need for collaborative efforts among all stakeholders to restore peace and stability in the area.
The senator assured the community of his unwavering commitment to addressing the root causes of the violence and implementing measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
He promised to advocate for increased security presence and support for affected communities in Plateau Central.
