Mayhem has once been unleashed in wave of violence that gripped Dakum and Jol villages in Plateau last Friday. Two persons were confirmed killed and at least 30 houses were razed on Friday night in Dakum and Jol villages in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, when gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded the areas.
Over 1,000 persons were also said to have been displaced.
The new onslaught came barely 24 hours after the Special
Task Force, said about 17 people were killed while 25 cows were either stolen
or killed in the same area in the past one week.
Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen invaded the
village in the late hours of the day, killing and setting houses ablaze.
The Majority Leader in the state House of Assembly and
Member representing Riyom Constituency, Mr. Daniel Dem, on Saturday, decried
the spate of attacks in the village, adding that in the past one week, Riyom
had been held hostage.
Dem, who described the situation as bad, said the
villagers had fled the community for their safety.
He said, “We are tired of this kind of events, as I am
talking to you now, arrangement is being made to mobilise riot policemen to the
area to collaborate with STF operatives and beef up security.
“Sincerely, I want the security agencies to be up and
doing to ensure that permanent peace is restore to the area,” he said.
The lawmaker called on the National and State Emergency
Management Agencies to visit the affected villages and supply relief material
to the displaced people.
“We don’t know what we are going to do now, the entire
village with over 1,000 population has been displaced, their homes have been
burnt down completely by the suspected Fulani. We really need the attention of
the Federal Government,” he said.
Dem said the displaced villagers were taking refuge at
Hoss Primary School while some had fled to Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of
the state.
