Black Sunday as Plateau State mourn killings by ‘herdsmen’

The Police Command in Plateau has confirmed the killing of 11 persons in attacks on Razat, Ruku, Nyarr, Kura and Gana-Ropp villages of Gashish District in Barkin Ladi Local Government.

Also hit were Daffo and Kuba communities in Bokkos Local Government.

Mr Terna Tyopev, the command’s spokesman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos that many other villages were hit by the gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

“The gunmen invaded the villages on Saturday and killed several people. Based on the number of corpses recovered and buried, we can confirm 11 killed,” he said.

He said, however, that more people might have died because many families had buried their dead relatives before the Policemen arrived,” he said.

Tyopev said that some dead bodies had been deposited at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) mortuary, adding that security had been beefed up in affected villages to restore peace.

Capt. Umar Adams, spokesman of `Operation Safe Haven’, the military task force maintaining peace in Plateau, who also spoke on the attacks, described them as “unfortunate”.

“We are aware of the unfortunate attacks, but I cannot confirm how many people were killed,” he told NAN.

Meanwhile, Gov Simon Lalong has charged security agencies to double their efforts toward ending the persistent attacks on rural communities in the state.

A statement signed by Mr Yakubu Dati, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, said that the governor rushed to the state on Sunday, cutting short his participation in the ongoing All Progressives Convention (APC) convention holding in Abuja.

It quoted Lalong as describing the incessant attacks as “devastating”.

“The governor has directed  security agencies to end the attacks and apprehend the assailants. He has also challenged them to be proactive so as to restore stability to Plateau,” the statement said.

It further quoted Lalong as commiserating with families of the victims and promising to settle the bills of those injured and in hospitals. (NAN)

The police in Lagos have arrested 21 persons over the killing of a man at Alapere-Ketu, following a clash by two cult groups.

The Alapere Police Division had raided some cultists’ hideouts and made arrests on Kazeem, Aminu and Akampson Streets in Alapere.

The spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Chike Oti, confirmed the arrest to NAN on Sunday.

He said that the suspects were being interrogated.

“Those linked to the crime will be prosecuted after conclusion of investigation,” Oti said.

NAN reports that two rival cult groups clashed on June 16 in Alapere, resulting in the death of a man.

A resident of the area told NAN on condition of anonymity that cult clash had been on in Alapere for long.
The source named the rival cult groups as Eiye and Aye confraternities. (NAN)