Three farmers were killed and one other injured in two isolated attacks in Larkas and Kodahas, Panyam District of Mangu Local Government, Plateau State.
National President ,Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), Bulus Dabit, who confirmed the incident to newsmen yesterday,said that the victims were killed in the separate attacks, which occurred between Monday and Tuesday morning.
Dabit gave the names of the deceased as: Gideon Jise , Fidelis Usman and Job Amis ,adding that the victims were working on their farms when gunmen suddenly attacked and killed them.
He also disclosed that the gunmen, later attacked Jwak village and rustled eight cattle belonging to the villagers.
Narrating how the incident started, Dabit said that on Monday, gunmen attacked herders and rustled their cattle between Larkas and Panyam fish farm.
” But youths in Panyam community confronted the rustlers, while passing through the town and recovered 16 rustled cattle and handed them over to the security personnel in the area.”
Dabit condemned the attack, describing it as barbaric, and accused herders of being responsible for the incident.
The MDA President commended the personnel of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) in Mangu ,for arresting the suspects, noting that cattle rustling, an organized crime, is already causing significant damage to government efforts to restore peace in the state, calling for the establishment of additional security blocks around Larkas and Jwak communities, to prevent further loss of lives and property in the region.
Efforts to speak with spokesman of the Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), Major Samson Zhakom, was not positive as he could not respond to calls by our correspondent at press time.
