IT was another round of bloodletting in Plateau State when armed men dressed in military uniform invaded the Farin Lamba village near K-Vom in Jos South Local Council at the weekend, killing four people and injuring many others.
The sad development came as President Goodluck Jonathan met with leading traditional rulers in the country at the weekend, charging them to partner with the Federal Government in its efforts to tackle security challenges that confront the nation.
In Jos yesterday, women trooped out in their hundreds to protest the wanton killing of their kinsmen at about 11.00 p.m. on Sunday.
Confirming the unfortunate incident yesterday, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Abdelrahman Akano said: "Armed men in military uniform attacked Farin Lamba village near K-Vom, Jos South Local Council, killed four persons and injured five others. The injured persons are currently receiving treatment. Efforts are on to arrest the fleeing perpetrators."
Akano explained that at Hamman village in Fari, "unknown armed men attacked Hamman village in Fari District in Barkin Ladi where a teenager was killed, two houses set ablaze and two persons shot and were rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) where they are now receiving treatment. This incidents took place simultaneously."
The police boss also disclosed that at Kopgai village in Langai District, "three armed men rustled away 102 cattle and 12 sheep from one Hassan Abdulkarim after shooting sporadically in the air. This took place near Kongwot village in Barkin Ladi Local Council."
He pointed out that at the moment, no arrest has been made, adding that the police and the Special Task Force are on top of the situation to apprehend the fleeing culprits. Akano advised members of the public to go about their legitimate businesses without fear of intimidation but to report suspicious movements to the police "as the police and Special Task Force have put adequate security measures in place."
The police boss lamented that the STF Commander was held to ransom at K-Vom while the protesting villagers, mostly women, allegedly set ablaze the tents of the military men, adding that the village was still boiling as at the time of filing this report, while more policemen had been deployed to the area to rescue the situation.
Women were said to be hauling stones at the soldiers while, in self-defence, the soldiers opened fire, injuring about 14 people comprising three females and one male. The police boss said that apart from this, six other people got injured but not from the attack but as they were scampering for safety.
The women, it was gathered, were irked because the gunmen who came to attack them all dressed in military uniform and came in an unmarked Hilux Van.
At Vwang village very close to K-Vom, the heartland of the demonstrators, the STF Commander, Brig.-Gen. Hassan Umaru, however, pacified the villagers, telling them that the army was never biased in all its operations. He told them that they should produce any evidence of bias against any soldier or officer.
A witness from the area where the attack was carried out, told The Guardian that the STF has ordered immediate withdrawal of its troops from Vwang village as a result of the violent protest by the women, with a view to replacing them.
Umaru said he would not advise the Federal Government to withdraw the peacekeepers "as the security situation in Plateau State is such that still requires the intervention of the military." He said the five soldiers alleged to have been caught in the killings two weeks ago in Wereng near Farin Lamba are still being interrogated, adding that as soon as they are done with the investigations, the public would be told.
The on-going voters' registration exercise was yesterday disrupted following the protest by the women over the killing of their kinsmen.
Spokesman of the STF, Captain Charles Ekeocha, told The Guardian he and the STF Commander were on their way to the scene and that until later, he would not be able to speak. The commander's line was engaged when The Guardian called to seek his explanation.
At the meeting with traditional rulers, Jonathan told the monarchs, selected from the six geopolitical zones, and led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar 111, to help foster greater national unity in order to guarantee even development of the country. According to him, "there can be no development without peace and stability, and as natural rulers, you have a great role to play in guaranteeing peace and stability within your domains. If there is peace in your domains, then there is peace across the nation."
Jonathan informed the traditional rulers that his administration has already sent a bill to the National Assembly to give constitutional backing to their roles as custodians of the traditions and customs of the people.
Source: Gunmen kill four in Jos, Jonathan meets monarchs over security (http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36506:gunmen-kill-four-in-jos-jonathan-meets-monarchs-over-security&catid=1:national&Itemid=559)