The chilled and most admirable weather that characterize Plateau state became scorching yesterday when the people witnessed yet another blood bath, after a federal Senator, Gyang Dantong and the Majority Leader of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Gyang Fulani were killed while attending the mass burial of over 50 victims who died during the Saturday’s attack on villages in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau state.
How it happened
The lawmakers were killed after it was discovered in the state that other 50 victims, mostly women and children were burnt inside the house of a resident pastor where they ran to during the attack on the 14 villages by the Fulani gunmen. It was reported that the lawmakers and others had gone for the mass burial of those killed only to have met their own death as the herdsmen stormed the area again, adding to the injuries.
Confirming the incident, Pam Ayuba, spokesman to the state’s governor said;
“The senator representing Plateau north, Gyang Dantong, and the majority leader of the state assembly, Gyang Fulani, were gunned down today by Fulani herdsmen,”
The governor’s spokesperson added that the two were killed shortly after having attended the mass burial organized in honour of the victims of the last saturday attack where over 30 people were reportedly killed by the same herdsmen.
Ayuba further blamed the killing of the lawmakers on Fulani Herdsmen.
Dailypost gathered that the officials were attacked after they went to the house of a local leader in the state’s Gashis district, just few hours after the burial ceremony and roughly 90 kilometres (56 miles) from the capital city of Jos. It was reported that the gunmen stormed the house, shooting sporadically, and gunning down the two law makers.
According to Ayuba,”The Fulani herdsmen raided the house…they shot (the politicians) and others at the venue, killing the senator and the majority leader,” he explained, saying he did not know the total number of casualties.
He further confirmed that another federal lawmaker “escaped death by narrowly,”
Ayuba further gave out reasons why the Fulanis keep attacking the Christians, stating that it could be as a result of their resentment for the Christian leadership in Plateau State.
Mr. Simon Mwadkon , member representing Barkin-Ladi/Riyom Constituency in the House of Representatives was lucky to have survived the attack, after he was rushed to the hospital after the raid. It was confirmed that Simon sustained serious injury from the attack and remained unconscious until he was rushed to the hospital where he was resuscitated.
Senator Dantong was the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP senator representing the Plateau North Senatorial District and was until his death yesterday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health. The developments which sparked angry reactions across Plateau State was immediately flayed by the senate with Senate President David Mark describing the death as a personal loss. Senator Dantong’s colleagues in the Senate including Senate spokesman, Enyinnanya Abaribe; Senators Pius Ehwerido and Ifeanyi Okowa also paid tributes to a man they described as a gentleman.
Speaker Aminu Tambuwal of the House of Representatives also joined in the condemnation of the killings, describing Senator Dantong as a man of peace whose death is highly regrettable.
The death of the 50 persons in the residence of the pastor of the Church of Christ in Nigeria at Maseh village was believed to have been the handiwork of the suspected Fulani herdsmen who were believed to have torched the house when they discovered that the people had taken refuge there.
Youths Protest Killing
It was gathered that Berom youth stormed major highways in Jos yesterday, protesting the killing of their people by the Fulani herdsmen in what they had called genocide against the Barom people by the Fulani herdsmen.
Most motorists plying through the said major high-way were made to turn back in order not to run into the angry youth who had taken over the road.
Group condemn killing
In their reaction to the killing, a Jos-based civil rights group, Centre for the Advocacy of Justice and Rights had in a statement issued by its Director, Mr. Gad Peter demanded that all security chiefs in the country be sacked immediately.
“It is a clear indictment of the inability of the Special Task Force and the Federal Government to provide security for the citizens of Plateau State. It is also a clear statement that we are no longer safe in this country.
“We demand the mass retirement of all security chiefs and for Mr. President to give us a roadmap on how he intends to solve the Plateau crises and other issues of insecurity in the Northern part of the country within two weeks.
“We use this opportunity to appeal to the people of Plateau State not to take the law into their hands”, the statement said.
Meanwhile, violence has taken over other areas of Plateau state as youth have continued to protest the killing of their people, and at the same accusing the security operatives in the state for not leaving up to their expectation.
Mark Condemns attacks
Expressing his great shock over the death of the federal senator, Senator Mark in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, stated that the death of Dantong was a personal loss. He further warned that, “the incessant killings of innocent Nigerians must be stopped,” buttressing that the federal government, state and local governments as well as other security operatives must live up to their expectation in this war against terrorism in the country.
“We must do everything within the ambit of our laws to ensure that this type of murderous act is stopped. As a nation, we must just rise against those who are determined to return us to a state of nature where life had little or no value.”
According to Senator Mark, the deceased was “a patriotic parliamentarian, quintessential gentleman and committed nationalist who was killed in active service to his fatherland.”
Curfew in parts of Plateau
Meanwhile, curfew has been imposed in part of Plateau state by the state government in order to avert further killing in the areas. A statement signed by Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yiljap Abraham said: “In view of the prevailing security situation, the Governor of Plateau State Dr Jonah Jang is hereby imposing a curfew in the following areas: Jos North, Jos South, Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs with immediate effect. The curfew will start from 7.30 today to 7.00 tomorrow morning, while the curfew starts 6pm tomorrow to 7am till further notice”.
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