Buhari Denounce Heinous Killings

President Muhammadu Buhari has deplored what he described as the heinous killings in Plateau State.

There has been continuous bloodletting in the state in the last week, leading to the death of scores.

Many are injured and a lot of others have been displaced. Many properties were been burnt, rendering thousands homeless.

In Benue State, 10 people were killed in an attack yesterday, making Governor Samuel Ortom reiterate his call on people to defend themselves.

North’s elders condemned the worsening violence across the region in a statement by the Northern Elder Forum (NEF).

Yesterday’s Benue violence occurred in Tyiortyu, Mbakor Tarka Local Government.

Sunday’s killing of over 80 persons was in Kanam and Wase villages in Plateau State by terrorists, who also reportedly kidnapped over 70 others and destroyed about 100 houses.

The busy federal highway from Makurdi, the state capital to Gboko, in Benue was blocked yesterday by restive youths who caused an over 10-hour gridlock while protesting the killings.

Tyortyu is a satellite town along the Makurdi-Gboko highway.

A member of the community who escaped the attack, Tersoo Utume, told The Nation that the gunmen stormed the sleepy community at about 2 am and went door to door, shooting and killing residents.

The youths dumped their bodies on the highway.

Nine farmers were also killed at Tse-Sumaka village in Guma Local Government Area on Monday by suspected herdsmen.

Buhari, Ortom Condems Killings

President Buhari described
the Plateau killings as hei
nous, urging citizens to expose those behind it and their sponsors.

A statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, says: “As full details emerge on the scale of the brutal terrorist attacks in Kanam and Wase communities in Plateau State, President Buhari has described the killings as heinous, saying that the perpetrators should not be allowed to escape justice. They should not be spared or forgiven.”

The President condoled with the victims, adding: “I urge all our citizens, the people of Plateau State, in particular, to expose the perpetrators of such incidents, their sponsors and those who encourage such criminals who carry out these dastardly acts of murder, so that the law will take its course.”

Governor Ortom deplored the killings, urging the people to defend themselves.

He said: “It is becoming increasingly glaring every day that my people are now an endangered specie.

“My people will have to rise to the occasion to defend themselves and their heritage against the army of occupation.

“We have been accommodating of other people in our land but our hospitality is misconstrued as weakness.

“We are not a conquered people. We will never be. We are free-born citizens of Nigeria.”

He urged security operatives to do more to prevent crime and secure lives.

Northern Elders Ask Buhari To Resign

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) asked President Buhari to resign for failing to provide security.

Its Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement, said Nigerians have shed enough tears over killings that have become a daily feature.

The statement reads in part: “The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari does not appear to have answers to the challenges of security to which we are exposed.

“We cannot continue to live and die under the dictates of killers, kidnappers, rapists and sundry criminal groups that have deprived us of our rights to live in peace and security.

Also yesterday, the House of Representatives asked the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, to organise a joint military operation to flush out bandits operating in Plateau and Taraba states.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance by Abdulrahaman Gambo Mubarak on the killings in Taraba communities and part of Plateau states.

Hoodlums Kill Lecturer, Tailor In Plateau

A lecturer in the Depart
ment of Psychology,
Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State, Sani Muhammad Mazadu and a tailor, Safiyanu Sa’id, were killed during a clash by rival groups in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

A relative of the lecturer, Jamilu Abdullahi Mazadu, confirmed the incident.

He said: “The deceased was about to complete his PhD before the sad incident occurred. He and the other victim have been buried this morning. We pray Allah to forgive them.”