Violence returns in Plateau as suspected herdsmen go haywire, killing and setting houses ablaze.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The tenuous peace in Plateau seems to have snapped following the return of violence in Bassa council of the state.
Reports indicate that ten persons were killed in an early hours attack on Friday by suspected herdsmen at Te’egbe village of Miangi District in Rigwe Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau state.
According to reorts by a Lagos medium, The Nation, the latest onslaught came on the heels of an earlier attack on Tuesday in which two persons were reportedly killed in an ambush last Tuesday at Ancha village of Miango district, Rigwe Chiefdom of Bassa LGA.
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The rampaging herdsmen were said to have launched the latest attack around 2:00am in the community during which ten persons were reportedly killed.
The herdsmen also set ablaze houses during the invasion.
Plateau Police spokesman ASP Ubah Ogaba, confirmed the attack to The Nation on phone.
Bassa local government area, has lately witnessed series of confrontations between the Fulani herders and the indigenes. In August, the atmosphere in the council was charged when gunmen attacked a convoy of buses conveying people from Bauchi, killing 22 of the passengers.
Fourteen people were also injured during the violence and rushed to a hospital for treatment.
The victims were said to be returning from the annual Zikr prayer in Bauchi State and heading for Ikare in Ondo State.
The spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, and the Military Information Officer for Operation Safe Haven, Major Ishaku Takwa, confirmed the incident in separate statements.
Ogaba said, “On 14/08/2021 at about 0928hrs, the Plateau State Police Command received a distress call that a group of attackers and their sympathisers along Rukuba Road of Jos North Local Government Area attacked a convoy of five buses returning from the annual Zikr prayer in Bauchi State and heading for Ikare in Ondo State.”
“Unfortunately, 22 persons were killed and 14 injured in the attack,” he added.
On the other hand, the military statement did not disclose the number of casualties but indicated that 12 suspects had been arrested.
Shortly after, there was an attack on the community, which was alleged to be a reprisal by the Fulani.
The governor, Simon Lalong, had faced with the confusing situation, imposed curfew on the council and its environs.
However, in October, the Irigwe and Fulani communities in the Local Government resolved to end the cycle of violence between them and agreed to live in peace with one another.
They made the resolution at a consultative meeting of key religious and ethnic/community leaders in the state, organised by Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, Jos.
Daniel Geh, representative of Irigwe Paramount Ruler, Ronku Aka and Muhammad Nuru of Plateau State Chapter of Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) hugged one another as a sign of the resolution.
The fragile peace had lingered before the latest attack.