Residents of Gwon-Ajang village in Foron District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, are counting their losses after a deadly overnight attack left at least eight people dead and more than 15 others injured.
According to a report by Daily Post, the incident occurred late Sunday night when a large group of heavily armed attackers reportedly stormed the community and opened fire on residents.
A community member, Joseph Azi, told Daily Post that the assailants, believed to be Fulani bandits, arrived at about 10 p.m. when most villagers had already gone to bed.
"The Fulani terrorists invaded Gwon-Ajang village of Foron District in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area at about 10 p.m. on Sunday," Azi said.
He added that the attackers were "more than 100 and heavily armed" and immediately began shooting indiscriminately after entering the village.
"The people had already retired to their beds when the bandits invaded the village. Immediately they entered the village, they started shooting while shouting 'Allahu Akbar' and speaking the Fulani language all through," he said.
Azi further claimed that the gunmen remained in the area for more than two hours while frightened residents repeatedly contacted security agencies for help.
"They operated for over two hours while the people made frantic calls to security agencies but they did not come to their rescue. By the time the terrorists left, eight people were killed while over 15 others sustained injuries," he stated.
The attack has once again raised concerns about security in parts of Plateau State, where communities have faced recurring violence in recent years.
Also confirming the incident, Rwang Tengwong, National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association (BYM), said preliminary reports indicated that an attack had taken place. However, he noted that efforts were still ongoing to verify the full details.
Tengwong said he would issue an official statement after gathering accurate information on the casualties and circumstances surrounding the attack.
As of the time of filing this report, attempts to obtain comments from the Plateau State Police Command spokesperson, SP Alfred Alabo, and the Media Information Officer of Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Polycarp Oteh, were unsuccessful. Calls and messages sent to both officials were not answered.
Security agencies have yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
