By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Contrary to the police report that 10 houses were burnt down in the recent skirmish in Mangu local government area of Plateau State, Sunday Vanguard findings on Friday reveal that over 100 properties, including worship centres, shops and private homes, were burnt.

Recall that the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 4, Ebong Eyibio through the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo. had on Thursday said, “…So far, over 10 corpses have been recovered from various locations, two injured persons currently receiving treatment at the hospital, one car and 10 houses were burnt down.”

The number of deaths at the time of this report is not certain, but 27 were said to have been burnt in a house at Kwashlalek, five in a house at Sabon Kaswa and deaths were also reported in other communities in the area.

Survivors speak

A boy, Meshach Fwangshak, was injured close to the Church of Christ In Nations, COCIN Church, Chichim and now receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Mangu.

“I saw some soldiers approaching, they opened fire at me and I dodged. I hid under their vehicle; the driver saw me, so I had to come out. One of them shot at my leg the first time but he missed, he shot the second time and I was injured but I was still running, so he used a rope, flung it and grabbed me with it. When I fell, he shot me again on my leg.”

Kyenpia Polycarp, another resident, said, “Fulani came in the night between 9 and 10. I was at home and I heard the shooting and their footsteps as they were running in the village. We were all scared. As the shooting continued, I grabbed my children and ran into the bathroom. We all lay on the ground.

“They came close and were shooting at my house but I don’t know why they stopped. When the shooting ended, I heard shrieks everywhere as they set many houses on fire. When we got out, we discovered that the people who gathered in my neighbour’s compound were all burnt in the house. We have left the village and crossed over to the nearby community which is under Barkin Ladi local government area.”  

Mutfwang relaxes curfew 

Governor Caleb Mutfwang has, in the meantime, relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed on Mangu. The curfew is now to be observed from 4pm to 8am daily until further notice.

The review, according to a statement, followed improvement in the security situation in the local government area, after strategic engagements with community leaders across faiths and ethnic groups.