Several people mostly women and children have been killed and houses burnt as attacks continue in two districts of Kombun and Mangu in the Mangu local government area of Plateau State.
Nigeriacrime.com gathered that in the early hours of Tuesday, two communities of Kubwat and Fungzai in the Kombun district were attacked and at the time of this report, over 40 dead bodies have been picked along bush paths.
A resident of Fungzai, Israel Ephraim said the victims were ambushed and killed by the attackers when they were running for safety.
He said, “We saw smoke and fire from the neighbouring village at about midnight, houses were being burnt so in our village, we asked women and children to come out and move away from the direction where gunshots were coming from. It was on the way that they were ambushed and killed.
“I lost four of my family members, as we speak, we are still picking corpses so we are not certain yet about the number of people killed. There is still tension in the village. Some military people came but they could not do much, we are still confused because we don’t know what prompted this act of wickedness.”
However, the attacks have escalated to other communities as the Member representing the Mangu South constituency in the State Assembly, Bala Fwangje called on security to reinforce and save lives and property.
His words, “What is happening in my constituency is sad, I got a call that there was an attack, killing of people in Kubwat and some other community. We called for calm but this morning, we discovered that the thing is escalating. Several communities within Kombun and Mangu districts are under serious attacks as we speak, people are calling me and telling me what is happening.
“The Sector Commander of Operation Safe Haven and the DPO in Mangu are trying their best but need reinforcement, we are soliciting that government should do the needful because if such a thing should happen and continue for hours, and nothing is done, then something is going wrong.”
At the time of this report, neither the Police nor Operation Safe Haven, OpSH keeping the peace in the State could react to the incident because none of their spokespersons picked up the calls not responded to messages.
It was gathered that the incident has escalated beyond the Mangu South and moved towards the Mangu North State constituency as tension rises. Among the affected communities are Alohom, Jwak Maitumbi, Bwai, Nchiya, Shimlang, Mangu Halle, Rudwang and others.
Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong has said, the attack is yet another attempt by crisis merchants and criminals to return the State to the dark days of pain and agony, the Government will stop at nothing to ensure that those behind this scheme are dealt with mercilessly.”
The Governor directed the State Emergency Management Agency and the Peace Building Agency to visit the area and ascertain the humanitarian need to bring succour to the affected while a thorough investigation is being carried out.