Plateau Govt holds mass burial for 27  victims of deadly herdsmen attack

DDM NEWS

Mass burial

The Plateau State Government held a mass burial ceremony for 27 victims of a deadly attack in Riyom Local Government Area on July 25.

The victims, mostly farmers from the Bindi-Jebbu community, were killed by gunmen suspected to be Fulani militia on July 15.

The attack occurred in the early hours of July 15, when gunmen stormed the village, shooting indiscriminately and setting houses ablaze.

Many victims were killed or injured in their sleep, with some reports indicating that women and children were among the dead.

The mass burial ceremony was attended by grieving families, friends, and government officials, including the Chairman of Riyom Local Government Area, Bature Sati Shuwa.

The ceremony was marked by wails of anguish and tears as families and friends mourned the loss of their loved ones.

Shuwa expressed profound grief, describing the loss of “27 precious lives” as a “cruel and senseless act of violence.

He stood in solidarity with the bereaved, stating, “Your pain is ours; your loss, a wound in the heart of all Riyom people.”

The community is now calling for increased security measures and dialogue to address the root causes of the violence plaguing Plateau State.

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang visited the community shortly after the attack, and his presence was seen as a gesture of compassion that brought solace to grieving families.

Shuwa thanked the governor for his prompt visit and appreciated the state government’s delegation present at the burial.

The government has promised to continue working with security agencies to prevent future attacks and protect lives and property.

However, residents have questioned the effectiveness of security measures, citing delays in response to distress calls and alleged lapses in security.

Community leaders and residents have expressed frustration and fear, uncertain of when or where the next attack might happen.

They are urging both state and federal governments to act decisively to prevent further loss of life.

The attack has contributed to a growing humanitarian crisis, with over 3,000 people displaced in recent months.

Many are taking refuge in churches, schools, and unfinished buildings, with local farmlands abandoned and food production disrupted .

The chairman of Riyom LGA, Bature Sati Shuwa, who spoke during the burial, lamented the spate of attacks on rural communities in the local government.

Meanwhile, fleeing gunmen on Thursday night invaded three villages in Arondizogu in Ideato North local government area of Imo State, killing about ten persons.

This is even as the Commissioner of Police for Imo State, Aboki Danjuma has condemned the killings, and blamed it on the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra saying it was barbaric.

Locals in the communities – Umualoma, Ndiakunwanta and Ndiejezie villages – all in Arondizogu said gunmen on motorcycles invaded the three villages and shot at anyone in sight, an action that left about 10 people dead.

A source who pleaded anonymity said some of the victims were at a bar drinking, others playing draft game when young men on a motorbike speed past shooting sporadically at anyone in sight.

“We were just playing draft when we just saw two young men on a motorbike speed past us, shooting sporadically. I was lucky to have run in the opposite direction and survived while the others there were gunned down in cold blood,” the source said.

Another source said, about 12 people were gunned down in the different attacks.

Meanwhile, Imo Police commissioner, Aboki Danjuma said seven people were gunned down and several others injured, but assured that security operatives have been deployed to restore normalcy.