PDP: Killings One Too Many
Masked gunmen had invaded three local government areas in Plateau State, killing over 100 persons on Sunday in a reign of terror on innocent locals.
The villages attacked were Gindi Akwati, Ruku, Kura, Rapps, Kinshan, Gengere, Heipang, and Gana Ropp. The gory attack had forced the Benue State government to declare dusk-to-dawn curfew in the affected councils — Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South.
Though, according to reports, there are fears that over 150 locals might have been massacred during the attack, however, police command in the state said 86 people were killed in the pre-dawn attack in Barkin Ladi local government by unknown gunmen.
Among those killed were a clergy, Reverend Musa of the Assembly of God’s Church, his wife and granddaughter who were all hacked to death by the attackers.
Police Public Relations Officer in Plateau, Terna Tyopev, who confirmed the casualty figure late Sunday evening, said at least 50 houses were razed, eight hospitalised for various degree of injuries, while six suspects were arrested.
The Media Officer of the Special Task Force (STF) in the state, Major Umar Adam, said, “We are still at the scene of the attacks; we will get back to you on the actual casualty figure as soon as we are done.”
In its reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the killings and urged the federal government to take its responsibility of protecting lives and property in the country seriously, telling it stop indulging in a blame game.
The party through its Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, noted that the cardinal responsibility of any government is the security of lives of the citizenry, saying so far, the APC government had not only failed in this primary responsibility, but had also persisted in blaming others for the killings taking place all over the country.
“These killings are one too many. This bloodletting has become unbearable to Nigerians. So government should stop engaging in blame game but should take up its responsibility by protecting the lives and property of Nigerians,” Ologbondiyan said.
The PDP also called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, to take drastic action by reinforcing the security apparatus in the crisis-prone areas, including changing the commanders in charge of the areas.
