Lalong Decries Killing Of 11th Traditional Ruler In Plateau By Suspected Herdsmen

PLATEAU State governor, Simon Lalong has decried the killing of a traditional ruler in the state by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

   

About five others were reportedly killed by the suspected militia on Monday.

The acting village head of Wereng village in Riyom Local Government Area, Mr. Chungyang Mwadkon, was reportedly due for coronation before his fatal shooting while fleeing from his attackers, barely a week after the Senate heard about the systematic killing of 10 traditional rulers in the state.  

In a statement by his spokesman, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, Lalong expressed fury over the killings which he described as worrisome and unacceptable, and must be stopped immediately. 

While sympathising with families of the victims and survivors, the governor asked security agencies to redouble their efforts in apprehending the attackers, having achieved some successes in other recent cases.

“We will not allow these ugly incidences to return where helpless and innocent people are murdered in cold blood for no reason. These killers must be fished out at whatever cost and brought to justice. I urge the people to cooperate with the security agencies by providing useful information that will facilitate the arrest of the attackers,” Governor Lalong said.

He called on citizens of the state to increase vigilance particularly in intelligence gathering and information sharing through the traditional rulers and other early warning systems of Operation Rainbow.

Sources informed that the gun-toting assailants invaded Wereng community at night, shooting sporadically.

A member of the village, 32 years Kim Francis was quoted as saying: “We first thought they were vigilante because they were wearing boots and security kits like community Police, until they started shooting at us.

“They kept shooting and picking their expended bullet shells as they moved,” said Francis who was shot in the leg.”

Other villagers, Lyop David, 35, and Mary Francis, 65, who were shot in the thigh and leg, respectively, said they were chased with steady gunfire into their rooms.   

In his reaction, the senator representing the district, Istifanus Gyang, lamented that his people “are being hunted and butchered with daggers and bullets” adding “God is watching and God is still God.

“Sustained attacks and killing of thousands of lives is what communities in Plateau North have been subjected to for over two decades particularly in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs and later, Miango axis of Bassa LGA. 

“For how long will the Nigerian state and government turn the blind eye in the face of these killings?

“Which alarm have we not raised calling attention to the need to stop the killings and displacement of communities from their ancestral homes?”

   

On his part, the member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, Dr. Simon Mwadkwon, described the unprovoked attacks and killings as “barbaric, inhuman, wicked and callous as well as a great setback to peaceful coexistence in the area,” lamenting that the renewed hostilities and killings in the constituency deserve the attention of government at all levels and security agencies who must rise up to their constitutional mandates of protecting lives and property of the citizenry.