Bandits kill 8 miners in Plateau - Lalong, Fom condemn attack

No fewer than eight miners were reportedly killed when suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked a mining site behind Cabitex Company in Kuru community of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Sunday Sun gathered that the incident which occurred at about 9 pm on Friday left eight people dead – 3 women and 5 men.

The Secretary of Kanadap Development Association, a community which was attacked, Choji David Dung, said the suspected herdsmen ambushed the miners and shot them randomly.

He said scores of people survived with gunshot injuries, while one person was beheaded.

‘It was at about 8 pm on Friday when suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked miners from Kanadap community in Kuru. The people were ambushed and 8 people were killed, among which are three women five men,’ Dung said.

‘The corpses have been recovered and kept at the community preparing to carry out a mass burial. There is heavy tension in the area and we lost three persons from my family.’

A state lawmaker representing Jos South, Hon Dalyop Fom, expressed sadness over the attack and called for calm in the community.

He sympathised with the bereaved families and called on the security agencies to uncover those behind the killings to give justice to the deceased.

Governor Simon Lalong also expressed sadness over the attack on a mining site in Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area which left 8 people dead.

Governor Lalong, reacting to the incident, expressed anger over what he described as another desperate attempt by criminals to destabilise the state and create fear among the people.

He said the government will not condone such attacks on innocent citizens, and directed security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act which is capable of disrupting the substantial peace prevailing in the state.

While commiserating with the families of those who were killed and those who sustained injuries, Governor Lalong reiterated his charge to security agencies to resolve such attacks as excuses of ‘unknown gunmen’ will no longer be tolerated.

Governor Lalong also advised the citizens to assist law enforcement agencies with useful intelligence, leveraging on structures such as the Traditional Institutions, Community Police Constabulary, vigilante groups and other associations.