Plateau: 7 killed, others injured at mining site in Kuru community

From Jude Owuamanam, Jos

Seven people were killed and several others injured when gunmen invaded a mining site in the Kuru community of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The gunmen, in the early hours of Thursday, attacked a group of young miners at the site and opened fire at random, killing some of the miners, most of whom were between the ages of 18 and 28.

One of the miners who fled the attack, Dalyop Ibrahim, said the incident occurred at around 2:35 a.m., adding that the assailants swarmed the site and began firing randomly.

“We were on the mining site around 2:35 a.m. when the attackers on motorcycles approached and began to fire intermittently in different directions, causing the young miners to flee in different directions. Seven persons were killed by gunfire, and others were injured to varying degrees,” he said.

The Berom Youth Moulder Association (BYM), in a reaction to the unfortunate development, said the attack, which claimed seven lives, represents a direct assault on the peace, security, and collective dignity of the Berom people.

In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, the group expressed concern over the prevalence and pattern of coordinated attacks on various communities recently, noting that the grave degradation of security within Berom territory necessitated immediate and sustained assistance.

BYM called on the Plateau State and Federal Governments, as well as security agencies, to investigate recent attacks in Berom land and identify, apprehend, and prosecute the perpetrators and their sponsors, adding that security should be reinforced in all vulnerable communities.

“We therefore extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray that God Almighty grants comfort, strength, and fortitude to the families in this moment of immeasurable grief, and that the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.”

According to BYM, the seven killed were: Dung Gyang, aged 19; Weng Dung, aged 26; Francis Paul, aged 23; Samuel Peter, aged 22; Dung Simon, aged 28; Pam Dung, aged 23; and Francis Markus, aged 15.

Efforts to speak with the spokesman of the Plateau Police Command, SP Alfred Alabo, proved abortive.

His phone was unavailable at the time of this report.