GUNMEN have threatened fresh attacks on a community in Plateau State on Friday (today), barely four days after they killed 195 persons in 17 communities across the state.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Middle Belt Forum, Stanley Kavwam, in an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, said the gunmen had sent a letter of an imminent attack to the Pushit community in the Mangu Local Government Area, where he hailed from.
When asked about the impending attack on the Pushit community, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Alabo Alfred, told this newspaper that the command was aware of the threat.’’We have intelligence, but we are working on it “the PPRO assured.
Also, some residents in Pushit, who spoke to one of our correspondents on Thursday, said the villagers were aware of the threat letter by the gunmen.
According to them, since the information of the impending attack spread, the residents no longer sleep at night.
One of the villagers, Joshua Bukat, in an interview with this newspaper, said “Here in the village, we have been living in fear since the news spread that terrorists are planning to launch a fresh attack in our community. From the letter, the terrorists said we would be running in the street with chicken and Christmas rice in our hands.
“As a matter of fact, we hardly sleep because we don’t know when they will come. This is not the first time they would send such letters of their plans to attack and on several occasions, they had carried out their threat. So, please help us to tell the government and the security agents to come to our rescue. They should act quickly to save lives and not take the threat for granted.”
This newspaper reported that the well-coordinated attacks also displaced over 10,000 persons, many of whom were presently taking refuge in churches, mosques, schools, and private residences.
The Chairman of Community Peace Observers in the Bokkos Local Government Area, Kefas Mallai, on Thursday, said over 150 persons were killed by the gunmen.
Mallai also said information indicated that the gunmen were still attacking some villages, adding that over 10,000 people were displaced by the attacks.
On Wednesday, there were reports that the death toll had increased to 195.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has vowed to track down the perpetrators of the Christmas Eve killings in the state.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, said this in a statement on Thursday.
Gaidam said, “The loss of innocent lives is a tragedy that touches us all, and we stand united with the people of Plateau State during this difficult time. In line with the directives of Mr President, we will leave no stone unturned in apprehending both the collaborators and prime suspects involved in this crime against humanity. Our collective resolve is to ensure that those responsible face the full force of the law.
“We also pray for the quick recovery of the injured citizens and security agencies who bravely worked to secure the affected villages. It is our firm belief that by standing together, cooperating with security agencies, and providing vital information, we can assist in arresting these callous criminals who are currently on the run.”
Continuing, he said, “We understand the gravity of the security challenges facing Plateau State and the entire country, and we assure you of our continued collaboration with other stakeholders to address these issues.
“Despite this tragic incident, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ongoing reforms within the police, aimed at enhancing professionalism and the delivery of top-notch service to the Nigerian people. We will not allow such incidents to deter us from our mission.”