Early Morning Attack In Plateau Leaves five Persons Dead; Govt Creates Hotline For Prompt Report

By Ayodele Oni

In continuation of banditry in Plateau state, an early morning attack on Thursday has left five persons reportedly killed in Batin village of Heipang in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.

Report said the attack, which was carried out by suspected Fulani marauders, began at about 2.00 am on Thursday even as tension has been building up in the area which is a few kilometres from the airport.

The early morning attack is coming hours after the state government inaugurated a Security and Information Centre (SIC) with a toll free line for people to report any unusual security situation around them.

Berom youth organization stated that only last week, some unidentified armed men carried out an attack which led to the death of one person who was said to be on transit and injured another.

No official statement has been issued on the identity of the attackers or reason for the dastardly act.

The state has been battling banditry in recent times, and this has lead to several deaths and loss of properties including farm produce that have been cut down before maturity.

The Director of Press Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State, Gyang Bere, said the just inaugurated agency was “aimed at facilitating public access to convey security-related information to the relevant authorities for prompt action.”

The Governor, Caleb Mutfwang said the “Centre will utilize basic technology to establish a toll-free hotline, allowing citizens to share information without incurring charges, using the phone number 080 0000 5555.”

Mutfwang encouraged citizens to confidently report security concerns from their local communities, with the assurance that all information will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

A few days ago, the leadership of the Berom Youth Moulder-Association, (BYM) reported that it received a report of an attack around Heipang District of Barkin Ladi.

It described the attack as an act of criminality where some hoodlums attacked innocent citizens who were returning from the popular Kara cattle market in the area, which led to the death of one Umar Idris.

The BYM in a statement signed by Rwang Tengwong, its Publicity Secretary, said the attack was an “unprovoked act of criminality” and is totally condemnable “particularly at a time that we have put behind us incidents of the past to work with government to ensure lasting peace in our communities.”