8 killed, 9 injured in Plateau, Kaduna attacks

Eight people were killed, Sunday, in separate attacks by unknown gunmen in Plateau and Kaduna states, while nine people sustained injuries in the attacks.

1,801 persons killed in Plateau attacks

It was gathered that four people were killed in another round of attack in Nding village of Barikin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State with two people injured .

The Plateau State police command’s image maker, Typev Terna, who confirmed Nding village killings, yesterday, said “On 30/12/2018 at about 1815hrs, the Plateau State Police Command, Jos received a distress call from Samson Bitrus of Gwom Nding Village that on the same date, at about 1800hrs, some unknown gunmen attacked a Peugeot 504 Station Wagon on the way to Nding Village.

“The Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Austin Agbonlahor, having received the information, immediately assembled a team that raced to the scene of crime but discovered on arrival that the attackers had left.

“On the scene of crime, three persons were seen motionless and they were immediately taken to the Barkin Ladi General Hospital where they were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty. Three injured persons were also taken to the hospital.

“Out of the three persons that were injured, one of them died while receiving treatment. The remaining two persons in the hospital are responding to treatment.

“Citizens are advised to go about their lawful businesses and volunteer information that can lead to the timely arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act to face the full weight of the law,” the Police added.

The attack occurred despite Police deploying over 2,000 officers to maintain peace in the state, during the Christmas and New Year season.

Barkin Ladi is one of the communities in Plateau State that has suffered from repeated violence, often between herders and farming communities. The violence sometimes, takes ethnic and religious forms.

…in Kaduna

Also on Sunday, unknown gunmen killed four people in Kutura village, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The attack by suspected herdsmen, who allegedly sent audio messages to the community to warn of the impending attack, left seven other villagers with various degrees of injuries from gunshots.

Several attempts to get a police confirmation of the attack failed as the Kaduna State’s Police Public Relations Officer, Yakubu Sabo, did not answer his phone.

However, President of the Adara Development Association, ADA, Mr. Awema Dio Maisamari, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview.

He claimed that before the attack, there was a recorded audio message, allegedly informing about impending attacks on some communities in the area.

He said the recorded audio message listed the areas to be attacked, adding that Kutura community was one of them.

“There was an audio message telling us that they were coming and Kutura village was one of the villages marked for attack in the audio and that we should get ready.

“So this has confirmed to us that all these things we are hearing and we called them rumours are coming to pass.”