THIRTEEN persons, mostly children and the elderly, were killed and houses burnt in Juwan and Manja communities in Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas of Plateau State by suspected herdsmen.
The deadly attack on Juwan in the Tangur District of Bokkos Local Government Area occurred on Thursday night, with ten persons killed and some others sustaining serious injuries.
In Manja, Chafem Chiefdom of Mangu Local Government Area, three persons were killed on Thursday evening.
They were on the farm tilling the grounds and tending their farmland when the attackers caught them unaware and killed them. Others escaped with injuries after the intervention of security operatives following a distress call from those who escaped the onslaught.
Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Council, Amalau Samuel, confirmed the sad incident, describing it as barbaric and inhuman.
“The attackers came late at night and started killing innocent people. They were going from house to house, and where they could not gain entrance, they broke through the ceiling,” the LG boss said.
“Those affected mostly are the aged and children who could not run, while those agile fled for safety”.
The terrorists in the other attack in Manja, Chafem Kingdom of Mangu, killed three persons on the farm with over twenty houses burnt before the intervention of security operatives.
A member representing Mangu South in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Mathew Kwarpo, said the terrorists invaded the community and killed three people before they were repelled by security men in conjunction with the youths.
According to the parliamentarian, the marauders later launched another attack that day, during which they burned down over twenty houses.
Kwarpo said that due to the attackers’ large number, the people of the community had to flee for safety, though no casualty was recorded.
“In the second attack, there was no casualty, but the people are already displaced. So, we are appealing to both the state and federal governments to come to our aid.
“The attacks in recent times on our communities are just too much. Anytime they issued notice of an attack, they would fulfill it.
“The security men are no doubt trying their best, but they are being overpowered. This is a calculated attempt to seize our land from us and to occupy our land illegally. So we are calling on President Tinubu to intervene,” he said.
Some communities in Bokkos, Bassa, and Mangu local government areas of Plateau State have been under increased attacks from suspected herdsmen in recent times.
This has resulted in the loss of lives and property.