Four persons have been reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen who allegedly attacked the Renwienku village of Miango District in Bassa Local Government Area in Plateau State on Monday.
The President of Irigwe Development Association (IDA) Prince Robert Ashi Dodo, who confirmed the attack on Tuesday, said the assailants invaded the village in the early hours of the day and inflicted injuries on the victims who were mainly middle-aged, which led to their death
The victims, according to Dodo, were all male and “elderly men who could not flee the community when the suspected herdsmen” invaded the community.
Dodo added that incident was compounded when mourners were attacked on their way to bury a dead kinsman.
But in reacting to the news, the Fulani community in Plateau State denied any involvement in the incident, but rather accused the Irigwe people of killing a herdsman who was grazing his cattle during the weekend.
The Miyetti Allah leader in the state, Nura Mohammad, described the incident as unfortunate in spite of the ongoing peace efforts in the state.
In a statement refuting the IDA story, Muhammad said:
“On Sunday, a 13-years-old herder identified as Musa Saleh was ambushed and killed by suspected Irigwe militia around Kpachudu district, Jebbo- Miango Bassa LGA of Plateau State, while on peaceful grazing.
“The killing of young Saleh came barely 48-hrs after the Irigwe Development Association (IDA), issued a press release denying that the Irigwe have signed a peace accord with Fulani at the Plateau State Goverment House, after a strategic stakeholders meeting with the Executive Governor Simon Bako Lalong in Little Rayfeild.”
The State Police Command spokesman, DSP Gabriel Ubah, also confirmed the recent attack, adding that the Commissioner of Police in the state has ordered more personnel to be deployed to the areas to restore peace.
According to him, investigations have commenced to fish out perpetrators of the dastardly act.
