Tension as terrorists notify Plateau community of fresh attacks

The terrorists causing havoc in Plateau State threatened to launch fresh attacks on a community in the State on Friday.

The threat was confirmed on Thursday by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Middle Belt Forum, Stanley Kavwam while featuring on a program on Arise TV.

According to him, the terrorists sent a letter of an imminent attack to the Pushit community in Mangu Local Government Area, where he hails from.

“While I was driving down from Jos to this place, I received a call. A letter was sent to my own village by the terrorists that the attackers were going to invade on the 29th of this December.

“All the attacks that were orchestrated, there was a letter to that effect that was dropped by an anonymous person, intimating the residents of Mangu LGA that there would be attacks”, he said.

The letter is coming barely four days after the daredevil gunmen invaded 17 communities on Christmas eve, killed several persons and burnt down the entire communities.

Death toll from the attack on unsuspecting villagers in the three local government areas of the state has risen to 196.

According to a source, who is conversant with the unfortunate incident, at least 149 persons, including women and children have been buried in Bokkos Local Government Area of the state.

He said the unprovoked attack by the blood-thirsty assailants who have been causing mayhem in the state also claimed no fewer than 28 lives in Barkin Ladi LGA.

Similarly, about 19 persons were gunned down in Mangu Local Government Area during the horrendous attack. All attacks happened within 24 hours.

The incessant massacre in the state has, over time, stimulated the question of whether the attackers are known or not.

According to a security source, it is an age-long issue which involves some stakeholders in the state.

“There are people deliberately frustrating the efforts of security personnel. It is a technical issue that has been there for years. But trust me, the security agencies here are looking for means to end this attack once and for all.

“Since they don’t want peace, we may give them what they want”, he said anonymously.

Hon Peter Ibrahim Gyendeng, a federal lawmaker representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom in Plateau State in the House of Representatives, had in an interview with Arise TV, declared that they know the attackers.

In a video clip that resurfaced on social media recently, the lawmaker said even the security agencies know the attackers.

He also confirmed that the terrorists usually drop notice of attacks.

He said, “They are not hidden. The security agencies know them very well. We know where they are coming from, we know where they go when they attack.

“That is not hidden. It is something that has been happening, most times, the good Samaritan among the herders will call and say ‘these people are coming to attack’.

“Sometimes, the place they say they are going to attack, they don’t attack the place. They will go to another vulnerable place and attack.”