Plateau Attacks: Police CSP, Nine Others Killed in Fresh Violence

A Chief Superintendent of Police and at least nine other people were reportedly killed in separate attacks in Plateau State as violence continued in communities around Barkin Ladi and Bokkos.

The police officer was reportedly killed on Tuesday when security operatives attached to Operation Rainbow were ambushed along the Barkin Ladi-Bokkos road.

The security team was said to have been responding to a distress call over an attack on a community when suspected Fulani gunmen opened fire on them.

Three civilians were also reportedly killed in a separate attack at Rakok, also known as Kafi Abu, in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.

The incident reportedly occurred as the President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Mwantiri, narrowly escaped an ambush.

Details of the circumstances surrounding the attacks and the identities of the other victims were not immediately available.

The incidents occurred amid a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed by the Plateau State Government on Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu local government areas following renewed attacks and reprisal incidents.

The curfew, announced on Monday, requires residents to remain indoors between 6pm and 6am until further notice.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Lohya, said the measure was aimed at helping security agencies stabilise the affected areas, protect lives and prevent further breakdown of law and order.

The government also directed security operatives to enforce the curfew and announced an immediate ban on motorcycles within the affected local government areas.

Residents were urged to comply with the directive and schedule their commercial, agricultural and other activities around the restricted hours.

The latest violence followed an earlier attack in Barkin Ladi in which troops reportedly repelled suspected reprisal attackers.

The incident occurred at about 8pm at Marit Junction after troops received information about an attack on two residents.

Military sources said troops deployed to the area found that one of the victims, identified as 53-year-old Rev. Andy Samuel, had been shot dead, while the second victim had sustained injuries and was evacuated to the General Hospital.

The troops reportedly came under attack shortly after leaving the hospital. The attackers were suspected of carrying out a reprisal following earlier violence in Dorowa Babuje, Sherum, Maraban Kantoma and Lajam communities in Barkin Ladi LGA.

Reinforcements from Sector 8, supported by other security personnel and Nigerian Air Force Super Tucano aircraft, reportedly engaged the attackers and repelled the assault.

The troops were said to have prevented the violence from spreading to neighbouring communities.

Security forces have since increased deployments and patrols across the affected areas as authorities intensify efforts to contain the violence and prevent further attacks.

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