Protest as gunmen kill vigilantes in Plateau

On Friday morning, a shocking incident erupted in Kassa community, located within Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, following the murder of three vigilantes, including the community's youth leader. Women and young people in the area blocked the main Jos-Barikin Ladi Highway, expressing their outrage over the attack.

Reports indicate the attackers stormed the community around 1am, opening fire and killing the three vigilantes who were on duty to protect the community. This occurred only four days after the state government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in three local government areas, including Barikin Ladi, Bokkos, and Mangu, to restore calm following reports of attacks and killings in the region.

A local resident, John Dung, explained to our correspondent that the victims belonged to a local vigilante group that had been working diligently to safeguard residents from potential threats. The killing of these vigilantes sparked a wave of anger among the community, particularly among women and youths, who marched in protest and blocked the major highway connecting the community to Mangu.

Protesters called on the soldiers stationed in the area to leave the community, expressing their frustration at the repeated attacks despite the presence of security personnel.

Mrs Esther Pam, one of the protesters, lamented the senseless loss, stating that the residents were weary of losing their loved ones to such senseless violence. "We are tired of people being killed, and security operatives would just sit and do nothing. We urge them to go after the attackers," she said. The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM) spokesman, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the incident and described the killings as "sad and disturbing."

Tengwong emphasized that the vigilantes had been instrumental in maintaining community security by keeping watch and responding to threats, stating that their deaths had further intensified fear among residents. The BYM spokesman appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the attackers and bring them to justice, urging authorities to take immediate measures to protect communities in Barkin Ladi and other parts of Plateau State.

The spokesperson for Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Polycarp Oteh, had not yet provided a response to inquiries regarding the incident at the time of filing this report.