Herdsmen kill five in Plateau, burnt 40 houses, farm lands

Musa Pam, Jos

At least five persons were confirmed dead and over 40 houses burnt in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday by gunmen, who stormed Kangboro village in the council area in a commando like operation.

New Telegraph gathered that the gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, invaded the village at about 11:00 am, shooting sporadically into the air. They killed five people and set houses and farmlands on fire before disappearing through hills in the village.

President of Irigwe Youth Movement, Mr. Chinge Dodo, confirming the attack, said the community discovered five corpses during rescue and search operations. At least 55 burnt houses were counted.

Dodo said: “Suspected herdsmen on June 17, attacked Kangboro, a community inhabited by Irigwe people in Riyom Local Government Area and burnt down the entire village, including 55 houses. At the moment, we have discovered five corpses as search and rescue operations are ongoing.”

A source said that the attack took place between 11am and 12:00 noon. The herdsmen stormed into the village of Tamgborong, shooting sporadically, destroying crops and burning houses.

It was learnt that the natives initially put up resistance, but could not withstand the fire power of the gunmen, who were armed with sophisticated weapon.

The herdsmen started running into nearby hills on sighting men of ‘Operation Safe Haven’ who engaged then in a gun duel that lasted hours, before they were repelled.

The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr.  Isaac Akinmoyede, who confirmed the attack, said three corpses were recovered from the scene of the incident. He added that security agencies, comprising ‘Operation Safe Haven’ and other security agencies arrived the village and repelled the attackers, who fled through nearby hills.

The CP said: “After engaging them, they fled and climbed the nearby hills, but in the process of engaging them, one of the men of OPSH was killed. Later, three bodies of the villagers were also discovered close to the hill. We have commenced full investigation. We are also on the trail of those that carried out the attack.”