Again, gunmen kill 15 people in Plateau

.Gov. Lalong calls for calm, arrest of perpetrators

.Buhari urges end to ‘tit-for-tat’ violence in Plateau

Gunmen have again killed 15 people, including two women at Kwatas village in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

An eye-witness, who pleaded not to be named, said on Monday in Bokkos that 11 of the victims were young people. The killings, the eyewitness said, occurred late on Sunday.

Police Public Relations Officer, Abu Gabriel, confirmed the incident, the latest of such incidents within a fortnight.

The command’s spokesman, who earlier in the day, gave the number of casualty at 13, stated after visiting the attacked village that two more victims have died, raising the number to 15.

“Two of the wounded persons receiving treatment at the Cottage Hospital, Bokkos, died this afternoon, bringing the number of casualties to 15.

“Doctors in the hospital are trying their best in the treatment of those wounded to prevent further loss of lives; all of them are responding to treatment,” he said and called for calm, promising to talk more on the incident after assessing the situation.

Another source in Kwatas narrated that “the attackers took us by surprise as they swooped on the village just when we were about to go to bed on Sunday.

“We heard gun shots which created fear in people, making us to run for cover. Unfortunately, 13 people were killed by the assailants, who also burnt some houses.’’

The Special Task Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Augustine Agundi, also confirmed the incident, describing it as “very unfortunate’’.

Agundi said that troops of the task force had been deployed in the area, noting that efforts were being made to track down the perpetrators of the crime.

He called for calm, assuring people of the community and environs of adequate protection.

A former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Titus Alams, who is also a native of Bokkos, described the killing as “barbaric, cruel and uncalled for.

“What on earth could be the offence of our people to warrant such wicked attacks on us?,’’ he querried.

He called on the state and Federal Governments to take steps to curtail the incessant killing of people in Plateau State.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Plateau State Chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Mr. Ezekiel Vondip, condemned the killing.

“The people being killed in attacks in Plateau State are human beings and not chickens. Therefore, the Federal Government must put a stop to the killings,’’ he stated.

Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong has condemned the attacks at Kwatas village and called for calm.

Gov Lalong in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Macham, on Monday in Jos, said the government and security agencies would ensure that justice is done to those affected.

He described the attack as another attempt by criminals to take the state back to the dark days of insecurity that it had substantially overcome.

The governor commiserated with families of those killed and injured, and directed security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime and ensure their prosecution while sounding a note of warning that the state will no longer tolerate such attacks.

“My heart again bleeds by this tragedy as lives of innocent citizens are cut short for no reason. Security agencies must go after those who are behind these attacks and their sponsors so they can face the law and be taught a lesson.

“We do not need another circle of bloodshed in Plateau State as all well meaning citizens have committed to peaceful coexistence and tolerance.

“My administration will not allow anyone, no matter how highly placed to jeopardise this peace,” he said.

Gov Lalong reiterated his commitment to work with the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders in strengthening community policing architecture in the state with robust intelligence gathering and early intervention to forestall re-occurrence of insecurity incidences of the past.

Also, President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned attacks that resulted in the death of 15 persons in Plateau State, assuring that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and associated crimes will be defeated.

The president made this known in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Monday.

He said: “In Plateau State, gunmen launched yet another bloody attack, killing innocent citizens. This shocking and sad incident should be condemned by all citizens.

“Revenge, hatred and violent attacks should have no place in a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-religious society as we have in this country.”

The President called on community and religious leaders to counsel the youths on the need for peaceful co-existence.

He expressed condolences to families of the victims, government and people of Plateau State and urged security agencies in the state to rediscover their act and stop the return of the ugly days of tit-for-tat.