Gov imposes curfew as gunmen kill 12 in Plateau attack

Residents of Farinkasa Kerana and Sabon Gari communities in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State have been thrown into mourning following fresh attacks on them by gunmen.

No fewer than 12 persons were killed in the attack, which took place at about 10.30 pm on Saturday.

Following the latest attack, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, on Sunday imposed a 24-hour curfew on Mangu LGA.

A grieving resident, Mathew Habila, who confirmed the incident to The PUNCH in Jos on Sunday, said the victims were killed in their houses, adding that the gunmen also set many houses on fire, leaving the two communities deserted.

Habila said, “We have our people killed again in another attack last night. This time,12 people were killed with several others injured and many houses were burnt by Fulani militia at Farinkasa Kerana and Sabon Gari communities in the Mangu districts of the Mangu Local Government Area.

“The incident happened at about 10.30 pm on Saturday.”

Efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer in Plateau State, Alabo Alfred, for comment, proved abortive as his mobile line did not connect.

The governor, in a statement on Sunday by the  Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, declared a 24-hour curfew.

“The governor, in consultation with the State Security Council, imposed the curfew on the entire local government area to restore law and order.

“Consequently, movements within the local government have been banned until further notice except for security personnel and persons on essential duties.

“Security agencies have therefore been directed to ensure total enforcement of the curfew,” the statement said.

The governor, however, assured the people that his administration was working round-the-clock to restore peace and security in the state.

Meanwhile, kinsmen of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, under the aegis of the Mwaghavul Development Association, have renewed calls for the Federal Government to declare the Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association as a terrorist organisation.

Making the call at a press conference in Jos, the National President of MDA, Joseph Gwankat, alleged that since April 2023, members of MACBAN had attacked 53 communities and killed 204 persons in Mangu LGA, where the state governor hails from.

Gwankat said, “It is in the public domain that MACBAN has been hiring foreign mercenaries to attack communities, including ours.

“Our villages have been deserted due to these attacks and have become grazing fields for the Fulani herders. So far, a total of 204 of our people have been killed in 53 attacks carried out by them.

“We, therefore, strongly suggest that the Federal Government should declare MACBAN a terrorist organisation because of the heinous crimes that its members are perpetrating in various parts of  Nigeria.

“We urge the government to take full responsibility for educating children below the age of 10, who  have lost both parents as a result of the attacks, while arrangements should be made for the SS3 students whose WAEC exams were disrupted as a result of these attacks.”

The Mwaghavul people said while they  are a peace-loving people, who have  never attacked anyone, “what we cannot afford to do is to fold our arms and watch our villages being overrun by terrorists and our people being killed by the same terrorists.”