PLATEAU ATTACK: protest as seven victims buried in Plateau State
By Khubayb Adefaka
We thought this would have stopped by now after two decades. We can no longer take this again. We have been crying, and no one seems to hear us,” he said.
Seven victims of a recent attack in Nche Shwye Rishi community, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, were laid to rest on Saturday amid grief and mounting tension across affected communities.
Gunmen reportedly stormed the area late Thursday night, shooting into homes and triggering panic among residents. While early reports indicated five fatalities and three injuries, community sources later confirmed that seven people were killed in separate incidents in Irigwe land in recent days.
The mass burial, held at a primary school in Miango, drew mourners and protesters who expressed frustration over what they described as recurring violence in the area. Placards displayed messages such as “Irigwe Lives Matter,” “Justice for the Slain Victims,” and “Stop the Senseless Killings.”
National President of the Irigwe Youths Movement, Ezekiel Bini, condemned the attack, stating that residents were exhausted by years of bloodshed and demanded urgent action from authorities.
“We thought this would have stopped by now after two decades. We can no longer take this again. We have been crying, and no one seems to hear us,” he said.
The Paramount Ruler of the Irigwe ethnic nationality, HRH Ronku Aku, attributed the violence to disputes linked to open grazing and called on the government to take decisive steps to restore peace.
Chairman of Bassa Local Government Area, Joshua Riti, assured residents that the council would collaborate with security agencies to apprehend those responsible for the killings.
Among those buried was Abbas Musa, a graduate of Enugu State University of Science and Technology and a health officer, who was reportedly shot dead in his home. Community sources said five members of the same family were also killed after attackers allegedly pursued them into their bedrooms.
Meanwhile, the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) has raised concerns over alleged threats to the life of its National President, Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, the association linked the alleged threats to Mwantiri’s outspoken position on insecurity in Plateau State and the Middle Belt. The group further alleged that militants had placed a bounty on him.
BYM called on security agencies to investigate the matter and provide adequate protection for its president, urging residents to remain calm and vigilant as authorities address the security situation.
Security agencies are yet to issue an official statement on the latest attack at the time of filing this report.
