…Several houses razed, youths protest killings

…Lalong re-imposes 24-hour curfew on Jos

…Says 10 suspects arrested

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Plateau State Tuesday night witnessed another bloodbath as gunmen attacked Yelwan Zangam community, close to the permanent site of the University of Jos, killing no fewer than 35 persons.

It was gathered that the attack took place about 9pm on Tuesday despite the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the Jos North, Jos South and Bassa local government areas of the state.

According to sources, the attackers shot sporadically into the air, gunning down some fleeing residents and burning others beyond recognition in their houses.

Before the attack, the bridge linking the community to other communities was allegedly destroyed to prevent help from the other side.

Police, Military react

The State Police Command while confirming the attack through its spokesman, Gabriel Uba, said: “The Command is aware of the incident at Yelwa. Police Operatives and other sister agencies were immediately deployed to the area. Details of the incident will be communicated to us shortly.”

Also, Major Ishaku Takwa, the Military Information Officer, speaking for Operation Safe Haven, OpSH said: “The Zagam Community of Yelwa in Jos North LGA of Plateau State yesterday, 24 August 2021 came under attack by suspected gunmen. The attackers came in the night and started  house to house shooting of unsuspecting members of the community.

“The gunmen also destroyed houses and the bridge linking the town to the community making access to the area difficult for security agencies. Troops of Operation Safe Haven efforts to save the community were slowed down by the destruction of the bridge by the marauders.

”Troops eventually got to the scene of the attack by navigating through other villages and met some houses already burnt and casualties recorded. Troops are on pursuit in the direction the killers fled. The Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Major General IS Ali is already at the scene to assess the situation.”

Gov condemns killings

On his part, Governor Simon Lalong condemned the killings in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Makut Macham.

According to the statement, “Governor Simon Lalong is appalled by yet another isolated attack which took place at Yelwa Zangam village of Jos North Local Government Area on Tuesday night where properties were destroyed and some persons killed. The governor totally condemns this barbaric act and directs security agencies who have already arrested 10 suspects in connection with the attack to intensify efforts in tracking down the other assailants and their sponsors in order to bring them to justice. 

“Lalong is furious over the attack which security reports indicate was carefully planned as the bridge linking the village was said to have been destroyed in order to deny security forces access to the area during the attack. He sympathizes with the affected people and calls for calm, assuring them that they will get justice. Governor Lalong again warns criminals that they will be pursued, arrested and dealt with, no matter how long it takes, as his administration will not allow the reign of terror to persist and rubbish all the investments made in restoring calm in the state.”

24-hr curfew back

Meanwhile, the State Government has re-imposed the 24-hour curfew earlier relaxed in Jos North Local Government Area following growing tension arising from the attack.

Lalong in a statement said, “The proactive decision became necessary following eminent threat to lives and properties within the Local Government Area and the need to forestall the breakdown of law and order. It will also enable security agencies deploy appropriately to maintain security as the search for the attackers of the villagers continues.” 

The governor appealed to the citizens of Jos North to cooperate with the Government by abiding to the 24-hour curfew as security agencies have been mandated to ensure that “those who violate the curfew are arrested,” and called for calm.

Senators express outrage

Also reacting, Senators Istifanus Gyang and Nora Dadu’ut representing Plateau North and Plateau South, respectively also condemned the killing.

The affected community is in Plateau North and its Senator, through his Special Assistant Media & Protocol, Musa Ashom stressed, “In the night of Tuesday 24/08/21, terror was visited on Yelwan Zangam of Anaguta community in Jos North with over 35 persons killed, some of which were burnt beyond recognition. Senator Gyang is gravely disturbed and outraged by the serial and continuing terror attacks on communities in Plateau State with thousands of lives brutally massacred over the years and still continuing.

“The situation on the Plateau is that of a people abandoned to their fate by the Federal Government. No sympathy! No empathy! No attention nor relief to affected communities! No statement and outcry from ‘appropriate quarters’ on the latest massacre at Yelwan Zangam, Jos. Senator Gyang is against threats to live of every citizen and has repeatedly said, “No citizen should be made to suffer or loose his/her life simply on the basis of ethnicity or religion.”

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Senator Dadu’ut on her part called on the law enforcement agencies to swiftly apprehend and bring the perpetrators to justice, adding, “this is man inhumanity to man, we must work to ensure lasting peace is restored in Plateau.”

Youths take corpses to Assembly, Govt House

Meanwhile, angry youths defied the 24 hours curfew imposed in Jos North local government area of the State to convey corpses of some the victims of the killing  to the State House of Assembly and the Government House in Little Rayfield, Jos.

The youths carried the corpses in a truck to the places, insisting they needed to do so for the government which sometimes claimed ignorance of killings in the hinterlands to see.

One of the angry youths, Silas Ayuba, said the “emergency curfew was put in place to stop them” but “government was not there when Fulani defied curfew and killed people who were sleeping.”

At the State Assembly, the Speaker, Abok Ayuba, who betrayed his emotion on seeing the corpses, appealed for calm, saying, “We are all affected by what is happening in Plateau. But please calm down as the government is doing everything possible to end the killings. We are your representatives. We are going to follow up with relevant authorities to ensure that peace returns to the state.”

At the Government House, the youths took over the entire roundabout leading to the premises and demanded access to “show the corpses to the governor that does not know what we are going through.”

The gates of the Government House were locked at the time the youths arrived but they arranged the corpses in front of the locked premises, lambasting the government under Lalong for allegedly failing to protect the citizens.

Vanguard News Nigeria