Three farmers were on Thursday confirmed dead in Plateau state after assailants attacked them in their farms.

The incident, it was gathered, happened in Panyam community, Mangu Local Government of the state.

It was learnt that the victims were working on their farms in the community when they were attacked by assailants which led to their death on Wednesday.

The Chairman of Panyam District Development Association, Longse Jokle, and the Secretary, Joshua Gufwam, confirmed the development in a joint statement which they issued on Thursday evening.

According to the community leaders, the corpses of the deceased farmers had been buried in their respective villages after they were recovered from their farms.

The community leaders said “We mourn the brutal killing of three of our people in Atuhun panyam: Panshak Peter, Ishaku zumuk, and Yakubu Sokyes by suspected Fulani militias all whose corpses have been recovered from their farms where they were attacked. They have been buried in their respective villages which span into Pushit District.”

The community leaders who condemned the killing of the three farmers also denied any involvement of Panyam community in the disappearance of a Fulani community leader, Mohammed Gabdo, who was earlier declared missing by the police.

The statement called on the law enforcement agencies to also go after the killers of the three farmers in the same way they had done in other instances.

The statement added, “While we subscribe totally to the fact that assuming the Ardo is found dead, it must be an act of criminal elements that are found in every society and of which such a blame should not be placed at our doorstep.

“While we lament over the unfolding events, we equally want to condemn in strong terms, the action of STF who on Monday this week, moved the Mishkaham Panyam away from his palace to Mangu under the guise of questioning him on the disappearance of the Ardo who incidentally was one of the closest community leaders to him.

“We have pledged our collective resolved to help the security unravel those behind the disappearance of the respected Ardo if they are within our domain, but would want to call on the STF to leave our traditional ruler alone and to also allow the people of Panyam to breath the air of freedom in the face continued arrest and detention of our people which goes on daily with the current one being that of Wednesday night.” (The PUNCH)

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