The two others are on admission in the same hospital and in a stable condition.” Terna said the family members of those who lost their lives declined autopsy and the corpses were released to them for burial. The PPRO disclosed that investigation into the killings was in progress.
Two youths were killed yesterday morning in another fresh attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen at Nding village, Fan District in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. The killing came barely 24 hours when five miners were also attacked and killed in Ropp District of the same Barkin Ladi Local Government Area by suspected herdsmen. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Mathias Terna, confirmed the killing in a statement. He said: “On September 6, 2018 about 0630 hours, the Plateau State Police Command, Jos, received a distress call to the effect that gunmen shot some people in Nding Suisut village of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. “Armed police personnel were immediately dispatched to the area. On arrival at the scene of crime, four persons were seen with gunshot wounds.
“They were then taken to the General Hospital, Barkin Ladi, where the doctor on duty confirmed two out of the four victims dead. The two others are on admission in the same hospital and in a stable condition.” Terna said the family members of those who lost their lives declined autopsy and the corpses were released to them for burial. The PPRO disclosed that investigation into the killings was in progress.
It was learnt that the attack occurred in morning when the suspected herdsmen attacked farmers in their farms. Those killed were identified as Dachung Yakubu (26) and Dachomo Chollom (24). However, member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Istifanus Dung Gyang, condemned the incessant attacks on his constituency. Gyang blamed the incessant attacks on failure of leadership in the state.
The lawmaker said the attacks were in furtherance of the grand agenda to displace the inhabitants and then take over the land for permanent occupation. He said: “It is a land-grabbing agenda, and what has happened is that Barkin Ladi and Riyom constituency is witnessing genocide. In some of the motions we have moved on the floor of the National Assembly by resolution have classified and designated the killings in Plateau State as act of genocide; that is the official position of the National Assembly today. “It is unfortunate that we are under democratic government at the time that the rights of citizens are supposed to be preserved and protected by the state, of all the rights that are accruable to man, the most fundamental of all rights is the right to life, because you first must be alive before any other right can be accrued to you.” Gyang accused government of failure to protect the lives of innocent Plateau citizens especially from the northern zone of the state.
He added: “In our constitution, the primary responsibility of government is to secure the lives of citizens and their property. That is the primary responsibility; any other thing follows after that, because if you don’t have citizens there can be no government. The state is not a land mass, the state is people. So this is the situation we are having in Plateau State. When you are representing a people that are been annihilated daily; you can imagine the trauma and the helplessness when your people are being killed daily.
“The state has responsibility, but if the people are being killed, is that responsibility being discharged? The answer is no. so, the task depends on the state for the safety our citizens.
“The only solution is when it comes to criminality and act of genocide you enforce the law, law enforcement is what Plateau State need. Everyone that goes to kill another person the law should catch up with him. We have people that have killed and displaced communities and are now in occupation of their land. If you want to know who is responsible for that; is it not the person that is in illegal occupation now? It is just like allowing the criminal to keep the proceeds of crime.”