Plateau violence: Assailants arrived on motorcycles dressed in combat gear, says local youth chief

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Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang checks on injured victims receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital.

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By Golok Nanmwa

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A youth leader, Comrade Samson Chiroma, has alleged that gunmen who attacked the Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State stormed the location on motorcycles dressed in military-style attire.

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Chiroma, who spoke on behalf of residents during Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s visit to the scene, recounted the horror of the Sunday night attack.

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“Our attackers came on bikes in military-style attire,” Chiroma said.

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The attackers opened sporadic fire on residents, leaving several people dead and throwing the densely populated community into panic.

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Mr Jerry Akims, another youth in the community, told newsmen that the assailants went from house to house killing innocent citizens.

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He explained that many residents initially thought the gunshots were from drug law enforcement personnel, as such operations were not unusual in the area.

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“But the shooting didn’t sound normal; the attackers operated for several minutes before vanishing. Akims added.

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Our correspondent reports that 27 persons were killed when gunmen stormed the community at around 7 30 pm on Sunday.

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Meanwhile, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has directed security agencies to move from routine peacekeeping to proactive, intelligence-led operations following a deadly attack in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area, that left several people dead, including women, and many others injured.

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Mutfwang made the call on Monday, when he received the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Umar Shehu Nadada, who visited Government House, Jos, on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Tilwan Disu.

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Describing the assault as “cowardly and utterly senseless,” the governor expressed deep sorrow over the killings of innocent citizens who were going about their lawful activities.

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He said victims were receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, with many in stable condition.

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“It is deeply heartbreaking that a city we have long regarded as one of the most peaceful in the region has witnessed such horror,” Mutfwang stated.

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“We are now confronted with an emerging phase of urban terrorism, and this demands a fundamental rethink of our security architecture, shifting from reactive responses to proactive, intelligence-led operations.”

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The governor disclosed that security agencies had made some progress, including the arrest of a suspect allegedly involved in spreading inciting information capable of triggering unrest.

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He charged law enforcement to intensify intelligence gathering and ensure that all perpetrators and their sponsors are identified, apprehended, and prosecuted.

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Mutfwang commended the youth and residents of the affected community for their restraint and stressed the need for stronger collaboration between government, security agencies, and local communities to confront criminal elements decisively.

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“The time for hesitation is over. We must deploy every available resource to defend our people, protect lives and property, and safeguard the territorial integrity of our state,” he declared.

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He assured full government support in logistics, coordination, and operational backing for the security agencies.

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Earlier, DIG Nadada said his visit was for a fact-finding and operational assessment mission ordered by the IGP.

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He revealed that additional personnel, including units of the Police Mobile Force and intelligence operatives, had been deployed to the area to restore order and track down those responsible.

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“We are here to assess the situation firsthand and implement effective strategies to neutralise these criminal elements,” Nadada said.

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He added that security agencies were working in synergy and planned to visit the scene of the attack, engage community leaders, and consult stakeholders to prevent a recurrence.

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