Tension erupted in Kassa community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Friday morning after gunmen killed three vigilantes, including the youth leader of the community.

Women and youth in the community blocked the major Jos-Barikin Ladi Highway protesting against the attack.

The attackers reportedly stormed the community at about 1am on Friday and opened fire, killing the three vigilantes who were keeping watch on the community.

The development came four days after the state government imposed dusk-to-down curfew in three LGAs, including Barikin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu to restore normalcy after reports of attacks and killings in the areas.

Speaking on the latest development, a resident of the community, John Dung, told our correspondent that the victims were members of a local vigilante group, who had been involved in efforts to safeguard residents from attacks.

He said the killing of the vigilantes sparked anger among residents, particularly women and youths, who took to the streets and blocked the major highway linking the community with Mangu.

The protesters reportedly called on soldiers stationed in the area to leave the community, expressing frustration over the repeated attacks despite the presence of security personnel.

One of the protesters, Mrs Esther Pam, lamented the killings, saying residents were tired of losing their loved ones to attacks.

“We are tired of people being killed and security operatives would just sit and do nothing. We urge them to go after the attackers,” she said.

Also confirming the incident, spokesman of the Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM), Rwang Tengwong, described the killings as sad and disturbing.

Tengwong said the victims were killed while protecting their community, adding that their deaths had further heightened fear among residents.

He said the vigilantes had been contributing to the security of the community by keeping watch and responding to threats, stressing that their killings were a serious setback to local efforts to protect residents.

The BYM spokesman called on security agencies to intensify efforts to track down the attackers and bring them to justice, urging authorities to take urgent steps to protect communities in Barkin Ladi and other parts of Plateau State.

The spokesperson of Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Polycarp Oteh, had yet to respond to inquiry from our correspondent on the incident, as of the time of filing this report. (Daily Trust)