Gunmen kill miners in Plateau

Five miners were killed and two others injured when gunmen launched an ambush at a mining site in Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. The attack left the community in shock and raised concerns over safety for residents and miners in the region.

Rwang Tengwong, spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM), confirmed the incident, expressing sorrow over the loss of life. He stated that five miners perished while two sustained injuries, describing the event as a tragic and painful occurrence. Tengwong called for immediate action from security agencies to safeguard communities and deter future attacks.

Another local resident, Simon Mundat, echoed the sentiment, calling the attack devastating and mourning the loss of the miners. Mundat implored authorities to enhance security in the area to allow residents to carry out their lawful activities without fear.

Attempts to reach security personnel for verification proved unsuccessful. Earlier, security forces, joined by local hunters, thwarted an attack by suspected terrorists in the Qua'an-Pan LGA, where gunmen infiltrated the community on Friday. Security operatives, aided by hunters, swiftly responded, disrupting the assailants and forcing them to flee.

The Plateau State government had previously imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in three local governments, including Barkin Ladi, in a bid to restore order following a series of attacks and killings. The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, deplored the recurrent violence in the affected communities and urged residents to remain calm and abide by the law.