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From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
At least three persons were killed and scores injured when gunmen attacked a busy vegetable market in Mangu town, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Friday night.
The attack, which occurred at about 8:30 p.m. as traders and buyers prepared to close for the day, triggered panic, forcing people to scamper for safety.
The ensuing stampede left several traders and passers-by injured.
President of the Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), Bulus Dabit, who confirmed the incident, said the attackers first opened fire on a vehicle leaving the market, killing two women and a young man.
Dabit, a former Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), said the identities of the victims were yet to be established.
He added that the injured were taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for treatment.
According to him, “At about 8 p.m. on Friday, gunmen shot several times at a vehicle leaving the vegetable market in Mangu, killing two women and a young man.
“The names of the victims are not known yet. Several passers-by were seriously injured and are being referred to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for treatment.”
Dabit said the sudden shooting created panic in the market, with people running in different directions in an attempt to escape, resulting in more injuries.
He condemned the attack and urged security agencies to deploy intelligence and technology to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
He said, “Security agencies must leverage intelligence and technology to apprehend the perpetrators of these dastardly acts, as they would not be far from the scene of the crime.”
The latest attack comes amid concerns over continued violence against Mwaghavul communities in Mangu and neighbouring Barkin Ladi and Bokkos local government areas.
The MDA had claimed that 750 Mwaghavul people had been killed in attacks since 2023, raising concerns over persistent threats to lives and livelihoods in the affected communities.
The association’s Director of Public Affairs, Friday Derwam, had said in a statement that the killings had made life insecure for residents, while seriously threatening their means of livelihood.
He called for thorough investigations into the persistent violence in Mangu.
The attacks have continued despite the relocation of the headquarters of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) following the killing of 24 persons in Kumbun District of Mangu.
In response to the persistent attacks, the General Officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division, Maj.-Gen. Williams Dangana, established Operation Hard Knock to check the violence in the area.
