No fewer than nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed in a fresh attack by suspected gunmen on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State late Saturday night.
The attack, according to residents, began at about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and lasted for more than one hour, leaving the village head of the community critically injured after he was allegedly attacked by the assailants.
A resident, Precious Tok, told Vanguard that the victims were slaughtered in their home during the coordinated assault, describing the incident as one of the deadliest attacks witnessed in the area in recent times. Onlinenews subscription
He said the gunmen invaded the communities in large numbers, shooting indiscriminately and forcing terrified residents to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, who confirmed the attack, said the assailants struck under the cover of darkness and unleashed violence on helpless residents.
According to him, the attack wiped out nine members of one family, including a two-month-old infant, while the village head sustained life-threatening injuries and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
He added that security agencies had been alerted and expressed hope that the perpetrators would be apprehended and brought to justice.
The latest attack has thrown the affected communities into mourning, with residents urging the Federal and Plateau State governments to strengthen security across Riyom and other vulnerable communities to halt the recurring attacks.
As of the time of filing this report, security personnel had reportedly been deployed to the affected communities, while many residents remained displaced and fearful of further attacks.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Plateau State Police Command were unsuccessful.
