Pam Moses

Deputy Chairman Senate Committee on Defence and Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial District at the National Assembly Sen. Istifanus Gyang says he is saddened and grieved by the attacks on Rikwechongu and Zirshe villages of Irigwe Chiefdom, Bassa LGC between Sunday night 14/02/21 and early hours of Monday 15/02/21 by killer herdsmen resulting in the dead of four young men, burning of houses and food barns shortly after a similar ambush and killing of youths in Riyom local government.

Gyang in a Press Statement signed and issued by Special Assistant, Media & Protocol Hon. Musa Ibrahim Ashoms and issued to Journalists on Monday in Jos notes with concern and dismay that while all effort is focussed on rebuilding peace and reconciling people of Plateau North, there were still persons whose preoccupation is violence and bloodletting.

Senator Gyang is therefore urging government and the security agencies who have the mandatory constitutional responsibility of securing lives and property to secure and protect law abiding citizens and communities of Plateau North and bring the culprits to justice.

It was reported that Suspected fulani herdsmen on Sunday night through Monday morning allegedly invaded two villages in Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed four youths.

The killings are coming barely a week after the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) under the leadership of Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, said the current system of open grazing, operated by herders in the country, was no longer sustainable.

National President of the Irigwe Development Association (IDA) Mr Robbert Ashi, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Monday morning in Jos, said on Sunday evening three young persons were ambushed by suspected Fulani herdsmen and killed between Jebbu Bassa and Rikwechongu village while another person was killed at Zirshe village Monday morning and some houses burnt including food barns.

“Yesterday evening I was informed of attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen who ambushed and killed three of our youth returning back from Jebbu Bassa to Rikwechongu village close to the School of Accountancy while at the early hours of this morning (Monday) the Fulani herdsmen also attacked Zirshe village and killed one person, burnt several houses including food barns where the villagers had kept their recently harvested produce. This action is condemnable coming at the time our people are preaching peace in the land,” he said.

Ashi described the attacks as unfortunate and called on the security agencies to arrest the attackers whom he said are suspected Fulani herdsmen.

The three persons killed on Sunday at Rikwe-Chongu village to includes Ezekiel  Maja -29yr-old, Emmanuel Agaba -30yr-old and Moses Daburu -26yr-old.

While another young man named Kefas Bulus David aged 31 from Ntireku village was also ambushed and killed.

Meanwhile efforts to get the Spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command proved abortive before filing this report.

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Senator Gyang is saddened and grieved by the attacks