The peace of Mangu local government area of Plateau State was punctured in April last year. Attackers sent villagers, in their droves, to take refuge in the Mangu town as well as other communities within and outside the State.

Some survivors who settled in Mangu town and the surrounding suburbs are doubly traumatized as violence erupted in the town on Tuesday following a disagreement between two people.

The seemingly minor issue degenerated to the burning of 27 persons in the Kwashlalek community, yet to be confirmed number of people also lost their lives as the attacks escalated to the Mangu town where scores of houses, shops and other properties were burnt.

A survivor who preferred anonymity said she was lucky because her son arranged a security vehicle which evacuated her before her house and other property were burnt.

Her words, “My house is at Sabon Kaswa. On Tuesday morning, we woke up at about 6 am and started hearing gunshots sound. It got intensified so we got out and tried to see or hear what was happening. When we didn’t know what was happening, we went back inside but we saw the Muslims in the neighbourhood moving in their numbers to the direction of the gunshots. We came out again and saw how menacing they were moving towards us and we got scared because we were only a few Christian families surrounded by the Muslims.

“We moved to the Church, COCIN Church, Sabon Kaswa and our Reverend and everyone with security numbers were calling the security to come but they delayed. The Hausa and Fulani boys were moving menacingly as their wives whom we never had any problem started insulting us. I later called my son to help and he went to find a group of security men. They asked that he buy petrol for them and he did. The security came, picked up a few of us and dropped us at the Gindiri junction.

“From the Gindiri junction, I went to a friend’s house and it was there I got information that my house was burnt after they looted my property. We also saw the security that was brought did not allow our Christian brothers to come around to help us. They were blocked but they allowed the Muslims to be burning Christians’ houses. The security that came around did nothing as my house, our Church and other Christian homes were burnt down.

“I heard that they parked bags of maize, rice, gari and all that I sell. They then went into the compound and burgled all the rooms. They injured some people and later set the house ablaze. A neighbour who was seriously sick and couldn’t move was burnt alongside his family members in his house.”

Mutfwang visits survivors

The State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has frowned at the level of destruction witnessed in communities in the Mangu local government area of the State, saying misguided people on drugs escalated the situation.

He betrayed emotion as he visited Kwashlalek, a community where 27 persons were burnt in a house as well as others in Mangu and Bokkos local government areas to assess the level of destruction and promised to step up the campaign to stamp out illicit drugs in the State.

(Saturday Vanguard)

•PHOTO: Families burying relatives in a mass grave at Maiyanga village, Bokkos Local Government, Plateau State, on Wednesday (yesterday) following deadly attacks conducted by armed groups. Photo: Kim Masara / AFP.

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