Batin and Yogot communities in Heipang district, Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau state are currently in a state of mourning following Thursday’s night invasion of their communities by terrorists.
This newspaper gathered that no fewer than 21 persons including women and children were brutally murdered by the terrorists suspected to be Fulani militias.
According to an eyewitness who gave his name as Obed, the attackers came into Batin community at 1:10am on Thursday, shooting sporadically as the villagers scamper for safety.
“My house is very close to the houses that were affected. We heard the first gun shots at exactly 10 minutes past one.
“They short sporadically and killed 17 people here in Batin. They burnt some of the victims to death.
“When they were retreating, they stopped at Yogot, another community not far from the Airport and killed 4 persons.
We are currently digging the grave to bury the victims” He said.
This attack is coming at the heels of countless similar attacks in Mangu where over 300 persons have been killed between April and July 2023 according to data released by the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation.
In July, the Nigerian Army moved its operational base for Operation Safe Haven to Mangu in a bid to put an end to the attacks in the area. That effort indeed reduced the frequency of attacks in Mangu.
