Gom Mirian
The military has attributed the crisis engulfing the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State to a herder militia, cattle rustling, and a combination of other factors.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Major General Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, revealed that the situation was triggered by attempted cattle rustling and the killing of a Mangu man by herder militia.
According to General Buba, the herders killed a man who ran into a herd of cattle crossing the road, leading to a retaliatory attack by the militia on residents.
He, however, said special forces have been deployed to hot spots in the state to contain the situation.
Over 30 persons were killed, many injured, and numerous houses burnt in the attacks. Governor Caleb Mutfwang has imposed a curfew on the LGA in response to the violence.
In recent times, Plateau State has experienced severe devastation caused by merciless attackers, resulting in the loss of more than 200 lives during the Christmas Eve assaults in the Bokkos and Barkin Ladi local government areas. Numerous residences and farmlands were set ablaze during these night-time attacks, and numerous individuals sustained injuries.
The well-organized massacres within the communities of these two regions have sparked outrage both locally and internationally. The governor, voicing his anger, criticized the military for their delayed response and referred to the killings as a savage act of carnage.
Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, expressed deep sadness over the continuous killings in Plateau State and called for peace among the people.
The United Nations has urged the Federal Government to conduct a thorough probe into the incidents, while the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) plans to meet with local religious leaders to address accusations against the military.
