Plateau State again woke up on Monday to news of the death of seven of its citizens in Naraguta, Shimilang and Kwal villages in Jos North, Mangu and Bassa Local Government Areas respectively.

At Naraguta, Mr Ali Shekara, an astute miner, was shot dead by gunmen at his residence at about 7:30 pm on Sunday. He was said to be relaxing after a hectic day before the assailants swooped on him.

A resident of the community, who would not want to be named, said Shekara was an easy going man who would not ordinarily get himself into trouble, wondering how he became a victim of the assailants.

At Shimilang, Mr Michael Daya, a father of two, was shot dead in his Irish potatoes farm where he had gone to inspect his crops in the early hours of Monday.

A villager, who confirmed the incident, said the gunmen were daring to have attacked Shimilang, a community in the neighbourhood of Mangu divisional police station

At Kwal, four young men, who had visited a neighbouring village, were returning in the late hours on Sunday when they were ambushed and shot dead by gunmen.

Another victim in Miango town of the same Bassa Local Government Area, Mr Abdullahi Yusuf, was also shot dead in his sleep at his residence on Sunday evening when some gunmen broke into his house.

When contacted on phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Gabriel Uba, who was in a meeting, said he could not talk and requested that a text message be sent to him, which was done.

His reply to the text message was: “I will make confirmation to it sir. Please give me time to do that. Thank you. Stay blessed and stay safe.”

Thisday