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Gyang Bere, Jos and Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, warned Nigerians to desist from revenge and violent attacks.
The President, in a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, pledged that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and associated crimes would be defeated.
“In Plateau State, gunmen launched yet another bloody attack, killing innocent citizens. This shocking and sad incident should be condemned by all citizens.Revenge, hatred and violent attacks should have no place in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society as we have in this country,” Buhari said.
He called on community and religious leaders to counsel youths on the need for peaceful co-existence.
He spoke against the backdrop of the killing of 14 persons by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Kwatas village, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Confirming the attack, former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Titus Ayuba Alams, described the incident as unfortunate: “My village, Kwatas, was attacked Sunday evening, between 6pm and 7pm, at the village market square by suspected Fulani herdsmen who killed 14 persons.”
He noted that Kwatas shared boundaries with Plateau State University, Bokkos.
Alams said the attack came a few weeks after armed herdsmen killed 12 people in Kulben village in Mangu LGA.
However, the Plateau State Police Command, in a statement by its spokesman, Ubah Ogaba, said 13 persons were killed and five injured.
“Yesterday, at about 8:30pm, we received information that, at about 7:30pm, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked Kwatas village in Bokkos. As a result, 13 persons were killed, while five others were critically injured and are currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Bokkos. Immediately the command received the information, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Isaac Akinmoyede, deployed a team of detectives, conventional policemen and other personnel to the affected area. He directed them to restore peace and effect arrest of the perpetrators of that dastardly act,” he said.
Ogaba called on residents of the area and the state to be law-abiding, adding that the police would bring the perpetrators to book. He also urged those with useful information that could aid the police to apprehend the criminals to make it available.
Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong has expressed fury over Sunday’s attack on Kwatas village. Lalong, in a statement by his spokesman, Makut Macham, described it as yet another attempt by criminals to take the state back to the dark days of insecurity.
The governor commiserated with victims and directed security agencies to go after the perpetrators of the crime.
