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From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
It was a black Independence Day anniversary celebration in Plateau State on Sunday as eight people were killed and four others injured at Adu village in Kwall District of Bassa local government of the state.
Among the victims was a family of six who had finished their dinner and were about to retire to sleep.
Daily Sun gathered that the gunmen invaded the village at about 8:00 p.m. and blocked all possible gateways into the community before unleashing the attack on the residents.
An eyewitness, who escaped the attack told our correspondent on the condition of anonymity that, in the operation that lasted for close to one hour, the attackers fired sporadic gunshots, which caused panic not only in the Adu village but in the neighbouring districts.
He said, “They came into the village at about 8:00 p.m. when it was raining and killed a family of six in their house, another two on their way out of the community, while four other people were injured and are now receiving treatment at a nearby hospital”.
National President, Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Prince Robert Arshi, confirmed the incident.
He said the gunmen, suspected to be killer herdsmen, launched the attack in the community at about 8:00 p.m. on Sunday and killed eight people while four others sustained fatal injuries.
Arshi said that the attack was a reprisal following the killing of a Fulani man in a neighbouring Kigam village in southern Kaduna State.
“Three days ago, the Fulani were trooping into the Kwall community, but because of what had happened, our people said they should go back to where they were coming from. So in the process of that, their cows scattered, and they complained that they couldn’t locate some of them.
“The military came in and later discovered that two cows were slaughtered in the bush, so it became a problem. When we noticed this, the peace committee that was set up during the Lalong administration between the Irigwe and Fulani summoned a meeting involving the military, traditional rulers, the Ardos, and other stakeholders. We sat at Bassa Council and appealed to one another that this should be allowed to escalate, and we all agreed that nothing would happen on Friday.
“But on Sunday around 8:00 pm, they attacked Adu village, and eight were killed, and the four who sustained injuries are receiving treatment, so what can we say about this? We told them in the course of the meeting that we would investigate and fish out those who killed the two cows, yet they still went ahead to kill our people.
“Since we signed the peace path, my people have not killed any of them. We have told our boys to refrain from anything that might cause problems. How can we compare the lives of humans with cows? There is no humanity in some people,” he said.
He therefore appealed to both the state and federal governments to investigate the latest incident and bring those behind it to book.
National Publicity Secretary, IDA, Davidson Malison, who also spoke on the incident, said, “To prove the marauder’s maximum act of wickedness, children of 9 and 11 years were among those killed. This shows their identity as heartless and people who are not supposed to live among other good people.
“The leadership with a clarion voice has called on the security personnel to immediately effect the arrest of people who carried out this dastard act and be subjected to face the full wrath of the law.
“They people are known. They are not ghosts nor invisible. They had made threatening statements, particularly to the community in question and it has been affirmed and confirmed. The leadership of Miyetti Allah, Gan Allah should be arrested immediately for justice to be served “
When contacted the spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command DSP Alfred Alabo, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.
He promised to get back, but as at the time of writing, he was yet to do so.
