Two killed, three injured as suspected Fulani militias attack IDPs resettlement site in Plateau state

Two persons have been killed and three others injured following gunmen’s attack
at an Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) resettlement site at Rantis in Gashish District, Barakin-Ladi local government area of Plateau state.

According to reports, gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias numbering six invaded the site which is under construction, on three motorcycles at about 3:40pm on Wednesday, when the IDPs have completed work for the day and were about leaving.

The shot sporadically at the IDPs, killing two persons identified Dalyop Boyi and Gyang Jugu while three persons, Pastor Samson Boyi, Dahwol Jam, Pam Boyi sustained gunshot injuries and now receiving treatment at Barakin-Ladi General Hospital.

Recall that the people were sacked two years ago from the community by the militias but returned early this year to rebuild their burnt houses and commence their normal life before the attack.

One of the workers, Monday Dang who escaped the incident declared that the attack came as a shock to them and other returnees because of the series of peace and reconciliation meetings held before their return.

“The attack happened at about 5:00 pm on Thursday when we were about closing for the day, the Fulani militias numbering about twenty came on a motorcycles, armed with sophisticated weapon shot at us from various angles and killed two instantly while three others received various degrees of gunshot wound. They set a car ablaze while others escaped into the bush,” he said.

“We have been working here under a peaceful atmosphere to rebuild our homesteads after displaced occasioned by Fulani armed invasions some years back. Not known to us that our self-resettlement effort will be thwarted by another unprovoked attack.”

The Coordinator, Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria-ECCVN, Barrister Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri who confirmed the incident said the attack was one of the many onslaughts Plateau villages and communities are witnessing in recent times.

Mwantiri said the suspected Fulani militias have artlessly been terrorizing residents of Irigwe Chiefdom in Bassa, Yelwa Zangam in Jos North, Kuru in Jos South, Jol and Bachi in Riyom, Pushit in Mangu LGAs of the State.

He therefore called on all relevant security agencies in the State to fish out the perpetrators of these crimes for necessary disciplinary actions.