How bandits attacked Plateau community, killed over 40 people – Village Head reveals

Tragedy struck the Hurti community in Plateau State as over 40 people were killed and 383 houses destroyed in a violent attack by suspected armed herders, according to the village head, Maren Aradong.

The assault, which occurred on April 2, also affected neighboring communities, including Josho and Daffo in the Manguna District of Bokkos Local Government Area.

During a visit by Plateau State government officials on Sunday, Aradong revealed that the brutal attack led to the displacement of about 1,000 residents, many of whom are now seeking refuge in nearby areas.

The Plateau attack has been condemned by many Nigerians including President Bola Tinubu and Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau.

Mr Mutfwang described the attack as a coordinated crime sponsored by conflict merchants, and not farmer-herder clashes.

In his speech, Mr Aradong said that the gunmen also looted foodstuffs and other items.

“Last Wednesday, at about 3:00 p.m., gunmen invaded our communities in their numbers; they came on motorcycles and attacked us.

“In Hurti alone, these gunmen killed more than 40 people and displaced about 1,000 persons.

“They also burnt 383 houses, destroyed foodstuffs, and looted other items,” he said.

Mr Aradong, who commended the state government and the security personnel for their intervention, called for the deployment of more security personnel to the affected communities.

Also commenting on the attack, Gagji Shipi, the coordinator of Operation Rainbow, a state-owned security outfit, described the incident as a major setback on the peace efforts in the state.

He said that measures were already being taken to forestall future occurrences.

Speaking during the visit, the head of the government delegation, Secretary to the State Government Samuel Jatau, commiserated with the families who lost their loved ones during the attack.

Mr Jatau called on the federal government to also provide support for the displaced persons.

He explained that the government delegation was in the community to commiserate with the people and encourage them to be steadfast.

“We are here to see things for ourselves and ascertain the level of damage done by the attackers.

“It is unfortunate that in this era, people could attack, kill innocent citizens, and destroy their properties without thinking twice.

“We have seen things for ourselves, and we will report back to the governor; we want to assure the people that they are not alone.

“We are here with some relief materials to cushion the immediate hardship that the people are currently passing through, pending a more lasting solution,” he said.

Some of the items donated to the displaced persons were mattresses, sleeping mats, buckets, bags of rice, beans, and maize.

Other items donated included blankets, cartons of washing and bathing soaps, noodles, and pasta, among others.

Plateau, in north-central Nigeria, has witnessed many such attacks. Some of the reasons for the violent conflicts include the struggle for land between rural farmers and migrant herders and communal violence over land rights.

Many communities have also accused migrant herders, often Fulani, of hiring their kinsmen from other countries to attack communities the herders have grievances with.

Apart from Plateau, other states that witnessed such attacks include Kaduna and Benue.