Fulani herdsmen in Plateau state have wreaked havoc once again. This time, herdsmen, who were suspected to have been armed with guns, on Monday, attacked and killed a 62-year-old retired police officer, Baba Jacob Wangte, and seven members of his family in the Sabon Layi area of Barkin Ladi local government area of the state.
According to the Daily Times, the victims of the attack were related to the former speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Istifanus Caleb Mwansat, who is also currently representing Pankshin South in the state assembly.
The 62-year-old retiree was killed along with his 50-year-old wife, Ruth, their son, Katok, 27; and his wife, Richeal, 21, and three grandchildren.
While confirming the attacks on Monday in Jos, the chairman of Barkin Ladi local council, Emmanuel Loman, said the attack occurred at around 10pm on Sunday.
He said: “The attacks started since last week, in some villages of the locality, by the Fulanis, and continued again on Monday at about 10 pm, where Baba Jacob and seven members of his family were attacked and the entire family killed by the same Fulani’s.”
Loman revealed that the retired police officer, a Mupun by tribe, and from Pankshin local government area of the state, had been resident in the locality for a long time after his retirement, and wondered why such a big family would be killed in one day without the security arresting a single suspect.
According to the chairman, there was a demonstration on Sunday by the women of the local government to express their grievances over the attacks in some villages.
The villagers were defending themselves in their homes when men of the Special Task Force (STF) surrounded them and collected their weapons and allowed the Fulanis to go free without being arrested.
“The women were angry when two of their children were apprehended. They felt bad that, instead of the STF arresting the attackers, they were arresting innocent youths, who were defending themselves,” he lamented.
Loman had condemned the situation and asked the authorities concerned to take action over the behaviour of some of the STF members in Barkin Ladi local government area, saying the attackers were well known to some of the STF in the locality, who had been breaching the peace in the council.
Similarly, Fulani gunmen stormed Berom in Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau state and killed seven people from one family, while others were killed in a nearby village.
The 62-year-old retiree was killed along with his 50-year-old wife, Ruth, their son, Katok, 27; and his wife, Richeal, 21, and three grandchildren.
While confirming the attacks on Monday in Jos, the chairman of Barkin Ladi local council, Emmanuel Loman, said the attack occurred at around 10pm on Sunday.
He said: “The attacks started since last week, in some villages of the locality, by the Fulanis, and continued again on Monday at about 10 pm, where Baba Jacob and seven members of his family were attacked and the entire family killed by the same Fulani’s.”
Loman revealed that the retired police officer, a Mupun by tribe, and from Pankshin local government area of the state, had been resident in the locality for a long time after his retirement, and wondered why such a big family would be killed in one day without the security arresting a single suspect.
According to the chairman, there was a demonstration on Sunday by the women of the local government to express their grievances over the attacks in some villages.
The villagers were defending themselves in their homes when men of the Special Task Force (STF) surrounded them and collected their weapons and allowed the Fulanis to go free without being arrested.
“The women were angry when two of their children were apprehended. They felt bad that, instead of the STF arresting the attackers, they were arresting innocent youths, who were defending themselves,” he lamented.
Loman had condemned the situation and asked the authorities concerned to take action over the behaviour of some of the STF members in Barkin Ladi local government area, saying the attackers were well known to some of the STF in the locality, who had been breaching the peace in the council.
Similarly, Fulani gunmen stormed Berom in Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau state and killed seven people from one family, while others were killed in a nearby village.
