No fewer than seven people were killed Sunday night by suspected herdsmen in the rural communities of Barkin-Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau State.

It was gathered that the attack, which took place at about 10pm, left several people injured and residents of the affected areas in apprehension.

Publicity Secretary of Berom Youth Moulders-Association, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the killings and said four people were killed in the Heipan communities in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area. He noted that two people were killed in Wereng and one in the Kwi villages in Riyom Local Government Areas. He called on security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.

Effort to get the Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, to speak on the killings was not successful as he was not responding to his calls at the time of filing this report.

Also, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen militia have killed four mourners at the Ankpali village in Edikwu District of Apa Local Government Area of Benue State.

A source in the community, who didn’t want to be named, disclosed that the victims, who were natives of the Ankpali village, were ambushed while returning from a funeral in Ugbokpo, the local government headquarters, last week Friday.

The source also said the attackers also left many residents with varying degrees of injuries while several others were still missing.

The incident came barely two weeks after a similar attack on the Ugbobi community claimed the lives of the traditional ruler of the community and several others and one week after the Olijamu village was raided by the marauders. 

The source said: “The attack, like others, was unprovoked, the victims were returning from a funeral in Ugbokpo when they ran into the ambush by armed Fulani herders in Ankpali.

“They opened fire on the mourners, killing four of them and injuring some others. As we speak some people are still missing.

Though the youths of the community are searching for them, the people in the village are fleeing to adjoining villages for fear of being killed by the attackers.” 

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, said she has not received a report of the incident.

Sun