Gunmen Suspected to be Boko Haram Kill 27 In Plateau

At least 27 residents died in an attack by gunmen on Bachi District of Riyom Local Government in Plateau, Josephine Piyo, Chairman of the local government has said.

The attack occurred Thursday last week and was carried out like Boko Haram attacks on villages in North West Nigeria, local government officials claim.

Mrs. Piyo told a joint team of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on a visit to the area on Tuesday that the attackers torched 70 houses.

Represented by the Council Secretary, Alex Kundang, the chairman said the attack also led to the displacement of at least 3,520 residents.Continue...

She said those displaced were currently staying at different camps for Internally Displaced Persons in the area.

Mr. Piyo described the situation as pathetic and that urgent national attention was needed to address the situation as the attacks on Riyom people had become recurrent.

“The methods of the attacks are similar to that of Boko Haram in terms of approach and the weapon used,” she said.

The chairman appealed to the Federal Government to design a strategy to check the attacks in the manner it had tackled the Boko Haram insurgency.

Eugene Melong, a senior official who led the NEMA North Central team on the assessment visit, expressed sadness over the incident.

“We are here with my team to carry out on-the-spot assessment, generate report and then send it to our headquarters to enable the government to render some assistance,” Mrs. Melong said.

The Executive Secretary of SEMA, who was represented by its Director of Administration, Biser Longnan said that the Plateau Government planned to assist the displaced persons.

The leader of displaced persons in Camp 1, located at Farinlaba Local Education Authority Primary School, Riyom, Dalyop Kanbut, called for a lasting solution to the attacks.

He said the attacks had brought untold hardship to the people.

At Camp 2 located at Riyom Community Hall, Mr Sunday Baren said the people needed assistance, especially food and drugs. (NAN)