Not less than 25 individuals have been feared dead after gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen launched an attack on Ariri community in Miango town, Bassa and Barkin Ladi council areas of Plateau state.

Many individuals were massacred in Bassa while the rest lost their lives in Barkin Ladi.

An eyewitness, Yohana Yakubu, from Ariri village in Miango District, told newsmen on Thursday in Jos, that the assailants displaced many families, after shooting sporadically at their targets.

He said, “In all, 19 people were killed. The killers wore black clothes; they were shouting Allah Akbar. They were speaking Hausa and Fulani languages and after the attack, they fled. People were massacred and we are now helpless. The killing is barbaric. We don’t know our offences which provoked the killings.”

The spokesperson for the Miango Youths Development Association, Lawrence Zongo, also confirmed the attacks.

He said, “Again, Fulani gunmen have killed 18 people in Ariri village of Miango District in Bassa LGA of Plateau State. Four persons sustained serious injuries including the youth leader of Ariri, who are now receiving treatments at the Enos Hospital, Miango.

“The Fulani people have declared war on the Plateau. They are achieving their plans through genocidal attacks and killing of citizens. We are always in security meetings without results. No investigation to arrest the criminals. Now Ariri village has been displaced.

“We are calling on the Amnesty International, the global community and Red Cross to please come to our aid. We need your help and assistance. We are losing hope in the government.”

At Barkin Ladi, same scenario played out about the same time, as the victims, who were resting after the day’s work, were slaughtered in their sleep.

Some of the survivors accused security operatives of staying aloof.

Speaking on the killings, the spokesperson for Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie, had condemned the attacks when he visited the scene.

The CP said investigation had commenced and promised to track down the perpetrators of the crime.

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