Gunmen kill traditional ruler, wife in Plateau

Governor Lang

The spate of killings in Plateau State, especially in Barakin-Ladi Local Government area of Plateau State took a frightening and dangerous dimension on Thursday with  the murder of traditional ruler  of a village, Kachin and his wife by unknown gunmen in the council area.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that a group of gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen stormed Kachin village in the early hours of Thursday   and went to the residence of the traditional ruler, Chief Gyang Thomas. The gunmen allegedly shot the ruler and his wife, Rebecca, who was nursing a seven-month-old baby.
A source close to the local government told the Nigerian Tribune that while the gunmen were escaping through the nearby hills in the village, they were accosted by security men patrolling the area, leading to exchange of gunshots.
It was further gathered that in the gunshots that ensued, two of the terrorists were killed, while some of them escaped with injuries. The corpse of the two assailants, the traditional ruler and his wife had been deposited at the Air Force Military Hospital mortuary.
State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), DSP Abuh Emmanuel, who confirmed the incident to Nigerian Tribune, said more policemen had been deployed to the area to forestall any further attack in the area.
The recent incident came on the heels of Monday's assassination of four members of the same family at Chaha village of Vwang district of Jos South Local Government Area by some unknown gunmen.
Both Barakin-Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State have been under  attacks and counter-attacks between the Fulani herdsmen and the natives of Berom in the past one year, leaving many people dead.
Reacting to the killings, a member of House of Representatives, Honourable Simon Mwadkom, said the latest onslaught against the natives in the area was a big surprise to him despite repeated efforts by the government to arrest the situation.

The Tribune