Gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram members, weekend, attacked Shonong village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing four people, including two members of the state-owned security outfit, Operation Rainbow.
The village had been attacked severally by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in the last three months and casualties are mostly women and children.
In the recent attack, the gunmen, armed with sophisticated weapons, took the villagers by surprise as they were said to have stormed the village at about noon and a response to the distress call sent to Operation Rainbow led to the death of its personnel as the gunmen overpowered and killed two of them.
The gunmen made away with rifles seized from men of the security outfit as residents fled the village to Riyom town, headquarters of Riyom Local Government Area.
A villager, Chundung Chollom, who is also taking refuge in Riyom, said: “The gunmen are Boko Haram and they have sacked the entire village.
“There are strong indications that the gunmen will attack more villages, so we are fleeing our homes with others from nearby villages.”
Security men flee duty post
Combined security forces, comprising Operation Rainbow and Special Task Force, STF, numbering about 40 armed men and two armored personnel carriers, have also fled the village for fear of the terrorists.
The member representing Riyom constituency, Mr. Daniel Dem, lamented the situation, saying the gunmen ransacked the place and took the belonging of the security personnel away.
He said: “The people are living in fear and nothing seems to be done to put an end to the attacks and killings in my constituency. I’m calling on relevant agencies to look into this thing and bring to an end the activities of these terrorists.”
The village had been attacked severally by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in the last three months and casualties are mostly women and children.
In the recent attack, the gunmen, armed with sophisticated weapons, took the villagers by surprise as they were said to have stormed the village at about noon and a response to the distress call sent to Operation Rainbow led to the death of its personnel as the gunmen overpowered and killed two of them.
The gunmen made away with rifles seized from men of the security outfit as residents fled the village to Riyom town, headquarters of Riyom Local Government Area.
A villager, Chundung Chollom, who is also taking refuge in Riyom, said: “The gunmen are Boko Haram and they have sacked the entire village.
“There are strong indications that the gunmen will attack more villages, so we are fleeing our homes with others from nearby villages.”
Security men flee duty post
Combined security forces, comprising Operation Rainbow and Special Task Force, STF, numbering about 40 armed men and two armored personnel carriers, have also fled the village for fear of the terrorists.
The member representing Riyom constituency, Mr. Daniel Dem, lamented the situation, saying the gunmen ransacked the place and took the belonging of the security personnel away.
He said: “The people are living in fear and nothing seems to be done to put an end to the attacks and killings in my constituency. I’m calling on relevant agencies to look into this thing and bring to an end the activities of these terrorists.”
