Again, gunmen kill five, injure three in Plateau

Following a fresh attack on the Irigwe in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, no fewer than five persons were killed and three injured by gunmen suspected to be killers herdsmen.

It would be recalled that the National President, Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Prince Robert Ashi, at a press conference last week alleged the invasion of farmlands in the community by Fulani herdsmen and the destruction of farms and crops worth N500 million.

Piqued by the brewing hostility, Tribune Online learnt that the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Bathlomen Onyeka, on Monday, invited the Irigwe and Fulani to a meeting and impressed them on the need for peaceful coexistence.

A police source close to the meeting revealed that both the Irigwe and Fulani agreed to embrace peace and go about their lawful duties peacefully.

The Irigwe Development Association (IDA) in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Davidson Malison, said few hours after the meeting, at precisely 7:57 pm on Monday there was an attack in the local government at Tipper along Nzhwerenvi village where three women were killed by the attackers suspected to be killer herdsmen.

The statement further posited that man was also killed at a Kpara village while another one was ambushed along Gero Road from Tin Mining Site,  taken to the hospital and later gave up his ghost adding that three people sustained gunshots injuries and currently receiving treatment in an hospital.

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Those killed were identified as Talatu Benson- 45-year-old, Talatu Danladi- 33 years, Mama Danladi – 15 years old, James Yah – 42 years old and Adamu Amedi while the three injured persons were Godiya Danladi, Redzie I’ve and Alheri Danladi.

Speaking with Tribune Online, the National President IDA, Prince Ashi, said the attack was a rude shock given the early peace parley convened by the state commissioner of police on Monday over complaints by the herders that their cows were being poisoned.

“They said that their cows eat poison on our farms and died but I told them they are not supposed to take their cows to farmland for grazing. I do know that farmers usually put something like rat poison in their farms during dry season farming to wade off rodents from destroying their crops.”

However, the State Chairman, Miyetti Cattle Breeders Association( MACBAN), Mallam Nura Mohammad, said no fewer than 33 cows died recently in the area as a result of poison adding that fields, where cattle were being grazed, had been poisoned.

Mohammad who debunked the notion that cows encroached into farmlands added that the Irigwes’ don’t practice dry season farming to warrant cows entering their farms.

He started that herders in the area have been directed to relocate to another area to reduce the loss of their cattle.

Meanwhile, the State Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Ubah Gabriel Ogaba, could not be reached for confirmation of the attack.

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Again, gunmen kill five, injure three in Plateau