No fewer than five people have been reportedly killed by gunmen in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack comes barely two weeks after eight people were killed in two separate attacks carried out by gunmen in the Congo and Zarap communities.
It was gathered that the latest attack occurred in the Mbar community on Sunday night.
According to residents on Monday, the victims were mainly youths who were attacked on their way from Mbar town to Koh village along a bypass encircling Yelwa Nono village between 7. pm and 7.30 pm by fleeing gunmen on motorcycles after they were initially repelled by the military from the surrounding mountains.
Farmasun Fuddang, the Chairman of Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, confirmed the fresh killings in a statement on Monday.
The statement, which was jointly signed by the association’s secretary, Duwam Bosco, partly read, “We wish to condemn in the strongest terms the tragic killing of five innocent young men in the Mbar community on September 15 (Saturday), despite prior intelligence reports of suspected terrorists’ influx into the area.
“By the time the security forces were informed about the attack and arrived at the scene several minutes later, the terrorists had completed their mission and fled without apprehension.
“This incident adds to a series of armed attacks in our villages, including the recent murder of 11 youths in Tarangol, Daffo, and Bargesh villages on September 3.”
He added that the unprovoked attacks were “a calculated attempt at evicting our people from their ancestral homes and taking over the land.”
“We request to be involved in the handling of the threats in our land, working in synergy with security forces as is the case with the civilian joint task force in the North-East and North-West regions.
“This is not to undermine or underrate the efforts of the military. However, we understand the logistical and manpower shortages faced by the military, requiring the active participation of local community members who, by the way, know the terrain and can better assist with intelligence to identify and expose criminal elements in communities.’
He also asked communities to avoid late movements, as suggested by security agencies in order to reduce hazards.
The socio-cultural organisation also expressed sympathy for the victims‘ families and urged their members to remain watchful.
