Despite the 24-hour curfew imposed on Mangu Local Council on Tuesday by the Plateau State government, no fewer than 30 people have been massacred by suspected Fulani militia.
The killings occurred at about midnight when residents had gone to bed.
According to a source, Moses David, who is a resident in one of the attacked communities, 25 women and five children were instantly murdered.
The killings took place at Kwahaslalek, behind the permanent site of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Mangu, Kinat, Mairana and other villages on the borders of Mangu and Barkin Ladi local councils.
He said in the wee hours, sporadic gunshots forced women and their children to take refuge in a community leader’s house, where they were eventually slaughtered.
His words: “Unfortunately, the blood-thirsty terrorists followed the victims there and killed all of them. Unfortunately also, the men were not at home, but keeping vigil outside the community.”
He said what happened at Sabongar village and Mangu town that forced Governor Caleb Mutfwang to declare curfew on Tuesday was just a distraction.
“While people in the two towns, Mangu and Sabongar, mourning their dead people, the attackers now went to the villages to unleash terror and mayhem without resistance. Not only killings, the attackers also burnt houses and property of the natives, including the popular Mangu market,” he added.
Public affairs watchers are baffled by the unhindered attacks that resulted in the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.- Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja to mobilise officers to restore sanity.
These incessant attacks and invasions, it was learnt, forced Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) under its commander, Major-General Abdulsalam Abubakar, to relocate. Yet, the killings continue unabated.
Both the Media Officer of OPSH, Captain Oya James and spokesman of the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Lt.- Col. Ishaku Takwa, did not pick their calls when The Guardian placed calls to them.
