Still reeling from the killings over the weekend in the Mangu local government area of Plateau State, where 12 people were killed, another eight, including an eight-month-old baby, were killed on Sunday at Farin-Lamba, Vwang District of Jos South Council, by terrorists suspected to be Fulani militias.

According to a statement issued by the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM) and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, the terrorists arrived in the community in a Vectra vehicle at about 9:45 p.m. and opened fire at the victims, who were heading home after the day’s activities.

The statement depicted that the eight-month-old baby who was murdered by her father was said to be returning from the hospital when they met their untimely deaths.

It was mentioned that before the latest unprovoked attack, several Communities in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South, and Mangu Local Government Areas witnessed deliberate destruction of farmlands and provocative grazing of over 300 hectares of land.”Also, there have been daily ambushes and killings of innocent persons on motorcycles after Ta-hoss village in Riyom LGA, along the Abuja highway, which have taken the lives of four persons and injured one.

“The BYM, under the leadership of Solomon Dalyop Mwantiri, Esq., hereby condemns the attack and other forms of provocations meted out on innocent persons of Plateau since after the 2023 General Elections”.

The pressure group further commended the new General Officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, for his pronouncement during an on-the-spot assessment at Sabon Gari, Mangu Local Government Area, a day after he took over as GOC to ruthlessly deal with criminal elements and restore peace to communities that have experienced attacks in Plateau State and the Joint Operation Area as a whole. This is cheering news to us.

“We believe that with the commitment from the new GOC to be firm, decisive, and fair to all in discharging the constitutional mandate of protecting the lives and property of the Citizens, lasting peace will be achieved in no distant time.

“We also want to commend the Federal and state governments for deploying Mobile Police Officers to some Communities that have been under frequent attack by the bandits in Riyom and Mangu LGAs,” he said.

The group, therefore, appealed for the deployment of more personnel to cover Communities in Barkin Ladi and Jos South Local Government Areas, as this step has drastically reduced attacks in the past 3 weeks.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Plateau State Police spokesman, DSP Alfred Alabo, proved abortive as his mobile phone was not connecting. (Nigerian Tribune)

Update news