Black Friday! Gunmen kill 10 persons, raze 30 houses in Plateau

It was a black Friday on the Plateau as gunmen killed 10 persons in Ta’agbe community of Miango Chiefdom in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, ASP Uba Ogba, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Jos on Friday.

Ogaba said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, had moved to the scene of the incident.

He explained that 30 houses were completely razed down in the area during the early morning attacks on Friday.

He added that the commissioner had deployed more personnel to curb further breakdown of law and order in the area.

In his reaction to the incident, Danjuma Auta, the Secretary General of Iregwe Development Association (IDA), expressed concern over the incident.

“Once again the Irigwe nation has to write this statement stating our pain concerning the renewed orchestrated attacks on our people for no reason, having enjoyed some relative peace that lasted for some weeks now.

“This morning gunmen attacked the village of Ta’agbe and as at now we have already established the death of 11 people while the search is ongoing,” he said

Auta called on security agencies to intensify efforts towards securing the lives and property of the people.

He said that the Iregwe people had embraced peace and would continue to be law abiding.

Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has condemned the killings at Ta’agbe community, describing it as “unfortunate and sad.”

The governor expressed his reaction through a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Macham, on Friday in Jos.

The governor described the incident as the handiwork of criminals, adding that government would do everything to bring the perpetrators to book.

“This is another sad incident which is clearly the handiwork of criminals who are bent on instilling fear, pain and sorrow among the people.

“This is at destabilising the state and making fortune from their criminality as well as rupturing the substantial peace attained.

“The persistent attacks in this area remains condemnable and unacceptable to government.

“As such, no resources and efforts will be spared in painstakingly following up on the trail of those who derive joy in attacking and killing innocent citizens and destroying their homes and means of livelihoods,” he said.

Lalong called on security agencies to deploy everything at their disposal to arrest those behind the crime no matter how long it would take.

Editor’s Note: The photographs of the killing are not pleasant for the sight. Hence, we decided not to use.