Governor Simon Lalong
Yakubu Busari, Jos
Harvest of killings in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau state how six (6) Member of one family were massacre.
About six members of one family were brutally murdered on Monday in Danwal, a Berom settlement before Ganawuri in Riyom Loca Government, while they were asleep.
According to an eyewitness account, the attackers arrived the village at about 8pm, and went about their murderous job with clinical efficiency.
Mrs. Lyop Gideon, the only survivor, narrated how the attackers were shooting sporadically before invading their compound. She explained further that her family were having dinner together when the heavily armed men arrived and we were all confused by the type of weapons they carried.
“They spared my one-year old baby, killed my husband, Mr. Gideon Gyang, 30 years old , his two parents, two siblings and a cousin before vanishing into the bush”
According to Mrs Lyop , she escaped by pretending to be dead, while her baby, Esther Gideon was unhurt in her slain grandmother’s arms. “I laid flat on the ground as they were embarking free killing of my other family members”.
“My baby crying on top of her grandmother dead but they quietly left her unhurt,” a tearful Mrs Lyop said, adding, “My husband was in our room few meters away from my father in-law’s room where seven of us were eating. They shot him first, and my terrified mother in-law started screaming.
“As he (husband) was groaning and my mother in-law screaming, they came into the room where we were. One of them tried to say something in Berom language but wasn’t so fluent” She disclosed.
“He spoke also in Fulfulde, saying ‘Hurut mu hilleh’ after opening fire in the room but I don’t think that language was standard too.”
The attack last for five minutes with no arrest made, Youth leader of the community, Mr. Dalyop Boi said.
Police operatives were however seen at the scene on Tuesday trying to console members of the affected family.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Plateau State Command, DSP Tyopev Terna in a statement has solicited for “credible information to track and arrest the perpetrator(s) to face Justice.”
He said that at about 6hrs one Dalyop Boyi ‘m’ the Youth Leader of Nakai Danwal village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State reported to the Plateau State Police Command that at about 1900hrs, unknown gunmen attacked the house of Gyang Dachung ‘m’ of Nakai Danwal village, as a result, six persons lost their lives.
The Command mobilised to the village, the photographs of the corpses were taken and released to the relatives on demand and they were buried according their traditional rites.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police Department of Operations, Plateau State Command, Jos visited the scene. The police patrol of the area is being intensified in order to discourage any reprisal.
Da Chollom Gyang, Secretary General of Berom Council, BECO, has disclosed that they are struggling to get the pain of the devastating and bloody attack on the inhabitants of Tina Junction, Rikkos, Cele neighborhood of Jos, on Sunday, behind us, when “the news of the dastardly, callous and premeditated attack on the family of one Dachung Gyang of Nakai Danwal of Ganawuri chiefdom, seemed to have worsened our state of mind.
The attack took place on Monday, and as in previous cases, was the handiwork of the ‘unknown gunmen’, leading to the destruction of the entire Dachung Gyang family of six.
“We have lost count of the statistics of premeditated killings, with none of the killers ever apprehended. We are sometimes made to subscribe to the view that we are no longer safe in our homes, communities and neighborhoods, in the midst of armed security men.
“We believe the security agencies can and do have the wherewithal to successfully tackle this culture of heartless killings at will.
Meanwhile the Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has praised the resolve of citizens to resist being lured into violence.
Governor Lalong while reacting to last Sunday’s incident around Dutse Uku said the ability of residents to work with security agencies to prevent it from spilling to other areas is a testimony of the deepening peace building effort of the government and people of the state.
Governor Lalong in a message through state Commissioner of Information and Communication Datti, implored citizens to resist the temptation of being drawn back into the ugly past by being vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour or persons to relevant authorities.
He commended security agencies for bringing the situation under control within the given area where the incident happened.
