By Golok Nanmwa, JOS

Eight victims of Thursday night’s deadly attack on Mbwele village in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State were laid to rest in a mass burial amid grief and growing anger over security lapses on Friday.

The victims were killed around 11pm when armed gunmen stormed the community and opened fire indiscriminately for nearly an hour.

Our correspondent gathered that most of those killed belonged to the same family.

Those buried were Elder Iliya Mangut Dakus, Mr Luck Titus Dakus, Mr Habila Istifanu Dakus, Mr Hassan Istifanus Dakus, Mrs Hassan Moses Dakus, Biggie Lucky Dakus, Sunday Gideon Dakus and Mr Innocent Barnabas Makwin.

Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, who conducted the burial service, told mourners at the graveside, “My fellow Christians, I will not stop calling on heaven because of our brothers and sisters that have been killed in Bokkos.

These are people who were living peacefully without knowing that they would be killed today, without knowing that some people were planning to come and kill them while we are busy thinking that we are living in peace with them.

“Most of the victims are Christ Apostolic Church members,” he added.

The other time, I was at the Catholic Church in Kuru, and 90 per cent of the attack victims were Catholic members.

I have performed mass burials for COCIN members, ECWA members and Pentecostal members.

We are all under a dilemma. The whole world should know what is happening in Plateau State.

We need help.” The cleric added.

It could be recalled that the chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos LGA, Kefas Mallai, said the assault had created serious tension in the community.

“The people are saying they want to protest because the security men have not protected them. The attack lasted for hours, and yet there was no presence of security to repel the assailants,” Mallai said.

Youth Leader of Bokkos, Christopher Luka, described the killings as “a sad and devastating assault on the people of Bokkos and Plateau State as a whole”, adding that the gunmen “targeted one family mostly.