Gunmen kill pastor, wife, three others in Plateau community

Gunmen kill pastor, wife, three others in Plateau community

Gunmen, suspected to be armed herders, have killed at least five persons in Bassa local government area of Plateau State.

The, deceased persons including a Pastor with the Assemblies of God Church were killed when the gunmen attacked the Kimakpa community in the Kwall district, Irigwe Chiefdom in the local government.

Sam Jugo, National Publicity Secretary of the Irigwe Development Association, IDA, confirmed the incident.

According to him, he said the gunmen attack the community in their number on Sunday.

He said, “Yes, the criminal incident happened after the earlier one which claimed the lives of some of our youths. In the middle of the night of 2nd June 2024, the criminals came in their numbers invaded, attacked, and killed five of our people at Ari Songo (Songo’s House), at Kimakpa.

“Those killed were Pastor Dauda Dalyop, 63 years, Mrs Chummy Dauda (his wife), 57 years, Mr. Chwe Ajuhs, 26 years, Mr. Joshua Kusa, 45 years, and Mrs Rikwe Doro, 43 years. Two persons were severely injured and are currently undergoing treatment.

READ ALSO:

• $5.3m fraud: US hunts scammers, traces funds to Hong Kong, Nigeria, others
• BREAKING: Wale Edun submits minimum wage cost to Tinubu
• NDLEA apprehends intending Hajj pilgrims with cocaine in Lagos hotel

“This sad incident came just two days after some disgruntled elements ambushed some Rigwe youths on a motorcycle while returning from the Gero mining site and killed instantly Mr. Irmiya Timbi and severely injured one other.”

Jugu appealed for calm and stressed, “We should upscale our vigilance, avoid night movements to distant destinations and suppress the urge for reprisal or taking the law in our hands and give the security agencies the benefit of the doubt. As much as we are quite saddened by this condemnable incident, we cannot afford to aggravate the situation by seeking self-help at this time.

“We call on the security agencies to do the needful by fishing out the culprits so that the affected will see justice being served as that’s the only way to restore the confidence of our people.”

It’s gathered that the Transition Committee Chairman of Bassa LGA, Fidelis Adara, and security agents have visited the scene as well as the palace of the Brra Nggwe Irigwe (The Paramount Ruler of the Irigwe people), Rev. Ronku Aka to console the people.

Three of the victims were buried after the visit while the bodies of the Pastor and his wife were moved to a mortuary.

The State Police Command and Operation Safe Haven, OpSH has not commented on the incident.

Gunmen kill pastor, wife, three others in Plateau community