Three dead bodies suspected to be that of Fulani herders were found by their kinsmen yesterday morning at Shonong village, Bachi district of Riyom LGA of Plateau State.
LEADERSHIP investigation revealed that the victims may have been killed Tuesday night in a reprisal? attack by unknown gunmen. One of the villagers, Usman Yakubu Muhammed, gave names of the victims killed in the attack as Zainab Yusuf Idris, Salifu Yusuf Idris and Kabiru Abdulahi.
According to Yakubu, “The attackers laid ambush near a bridge and attacked our people returning from Fadan Karshi market at about 8pm tuesday night.
“Two of the victims are members of a family, who were attack on their motorcycle on their way from the market. The attackers killed the first two victims and threw their bodies under the bridge.”
According to him, relatives went in company of a member of the STF to evacuate the bodies from the water under the bridge early yesterday because the water was not big to float them.
“Their bodies were riddled with bullet wounds,” he said. “The three killed have been buried by their families while those injured in the attack, Yakubu Muhammed and Alhassan Yusuf Idris are currently receiving treatment at Sunna Clinic in Barkin Ladi.
Fulani community leader in Bachi, Ardo Muhammed Bello told LEADERSHIP? on phone: “We are mourning the loss of our loved ones again, this time a woman, wife of Alhaji Yusuf. She was killed with her baby strapped on her back; the baby was not even spared. We have invited the soldiers there to see the corpses.”
LEADERSHIP reports that a similar attack carried out last Monday night claimed a family of four, leaving two members of the family in critical condition at Vom Christian hospital.
The rate of killings by unknown gunmen in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs has not only risen, it has been a regular incidence in the last two months, leading to the death of no fewer than 30 people, including women, children and security agents.
At the same time, the Plateau State police command has arrested several numbers of killer gangs who are allegedly behind the killings in the two local governments
Following the killing of the four last Monday in Chaha village by unknown gunmen, the lawmaker representing Riyom constituency in the Plateau State Assembly, Hon. Daniel Dem has an raised alarm of gun duel between Berom and Fulanis in Sopp village.
At the time of filling this report, both the state police command and the STF were yet to confirm the report.