At least six persons were feared dead and houses razed during two separate attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on two communities in Plateau State.
But the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Aide Undie, on Wednesday, summoned an emergency meeting of stakeholders in Bassa Riyom and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas over the incessant cases of killings and reprisals between Fulani herdsmen and their host communities.
The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by security operatives, religious leaders, representatives of Fulani herdsmen and government representatives.
The first incident was said to have happened on Monday night when suspected Fulani gunmen attacked Rikwe Chongu village in Miango District of Bassa Local Government Area.
Unofficial sources said three victims killed during the attack were returning from a mining site when they were attacked by the hoodlums.
A survivor, Sunday Samson, said the attackers allegedly bore AK 47rifles, which they used to kill two and used a machete to severe the head of the third victim.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, could not confirm the attack in Bassa LGA.
The second killing was said to have occurred on Wednesday morning in Dasho, a village in Daffo District in Bokkos LGA, during a misunderstanding between a Fulani and a native youth where they were working at a block-making site.
During the fracas, the native youth was said to have used one of the blocks to hit the Fulani boy on the head and he died immediately.
Consequently, a 25-year-old woman was shot and killed by the Fulani on her farm in retaliation, while another boy riding a bicycle, was also gunned down.
Tyopev confirmed to our correspondent that one person had been arrested in connection with the killings in Bokkos, while the corpses of the three victims had been taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for an autopsy.
According to him, one suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident, while the investigation continues.
He said, “There was an incident that happened in Bokkos. Today (Wednesday), about 10 am, a Police Division in Bokkos received a distressed call that there was a problem in Dasho, a village in Daffo District, that there was a misunderstanding between a Fulani youth and a native youth where they were working at a block-making site.
“The native youth used one of the blocks to hit the Fulani boy on the head and he died immediately, as a result of which a woman identified as Victoria Sunday, about 25 years old was shot and killed on her farm in retaliation.
“Another boy riding bicycle named Moses, surname not yet known, also a native was shot and killed. The village has been razed down by Fulani people. The three corpses have been taken to JUTH for an autopsy. One suspect has been arrested, while the investigation continues.”
Tyopev said the CP told the stakeholders that attacks and reprisals would never solve any problem.
He said, “The Commissioner of Police called stakeholders from Bassa Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs over the recurrent cases of killings and reprisals, attacks and reprisals. The CP also said that in their interest, they should shun bitterness, embrace peace and live like normal human beings.
“The CP also told them that attacks and reprisals will never solve any problem, until when their leaders decide to sit down and reason like human beings and allow the past to go so that they will live in peace as they were living before.
“The stakeholders assured him that they will go back and heed his advice by living with their brothers. But the only concern the people of Bassa LGA, particularly Irigwe reiterated, was that the Fulani herdsmen have killed their people and they have just buried their kinsmen.” (Punch)
