A deadly attack on a community in Nigeria’s Middle Belt state of Plateau by rampaging ‘Fulani terrorists’ has claimed the lives of at least thirty people.
The attack happened at the Jwak Maitumbi community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday morning when many of the locals were in their house of worship or preparing to go there.
No fewer than 50 buildings, including churches, food barns and silos, were also set ablaze by the rampaging terrorists during the onslaught.
The terrorists, numbering more than a hundred, stormed the defenceless enclave with sophisticated weapons on Monday morning and embarked on indiscriminate gunning down of the locals.
The youth leader of the village, Lonji Zuhumnan, confirmed the invasion and the ensuing killings to newsmen. stated that apart from the people killed and injured, residential buildings, shops, churches and huge quantities of crops were also destroyed during the attack.
He added that distress calls to security operatives for help were not responded to until the gunmen had finished their mission.
“Our community, Jwak Maitumbi, came under severe attack yesterday (Sunday) morning,” Zuhumnan said.
“The Fulani terrorists numbering over 100 and carrying sophisticated weapons stormed the village at about 7:30am as people were either in churches or preparing to go to their worship centres. They started shooting sporadically while the residents scampered for safety, and in the process, several people were gunned down by the attackers.
“At the end of the carnage, we counted over 30 dead bodies while several others were injured. Apart from the people they slaughtered, the terrorists also burned down over 50 houses, shops, health centres, churches and food barns.
“They also entered our farms and destroyed crops planted. While the assailants were having a field day, frantic calls made to security personnel in Mangu were futile as the soldiers did not come until the attackers had finished their mission and fled into the bushes and rocks,” the youth leader said
