Plateau Group Narrates How Missing Head Led To Latest Mangu Violence

The Mwaghavul Development Association has provided its account of the violent events that unfolded in Kikyau Village, Plateau State, shedding light on the circumstances that led to the unrest. The association alleges that the violence erupted after residents, in search of the severed head of a slain community member, approached a nearby settlement.

The victim, Geofrey Kato Gumut, was reportedly killed and decapitated following an attack by armed assailants who surrounded Kikyau. According to Friday Derwam, the MDA Director of Public Affairs, a group of youths followed a trail of blood from the site of Gumut's killing towards a Fulani settlement, where they demanded the return of his head for a proper burial.

The association claims that this demand sparked the subsequent violence. However, it is important to note that the MDA's version of events has not been independently verified. The association accuses some social media accounts of beginning their reports with the later confrontation while omitting the crucial detail of Gumut's killing.

The MDA has emphasized that the incident occurred amidst a surge in insecurity in Mangu, stating that over 28 Mwaghavul residents were killed in a span of less than 10 days. In response to this escalating violence, the MDA has called for an independent security investigation to uncover the sequence of events and identify those responsible for the tragedy.