Gunmen kill one, kidnap two in fresh Plateau attack
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Gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, on Tuesday night, killed a man in Furaka community, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Residents, who confirmed the incident to The PUNCH in Jos on Wednesday, said the gunmen also kidnapped a lady and another man before making their escape.
A resident of the community, Madaki Gottom, said, “Some armed men came to our community on Tuesday. It was around 8 pm. They invaded the Furaka Community near Tina Junction in the Jos Jarawa Ward in Jos North. Unfortunately, Mr Aaron Danji was shot and killed while Antipas Gabriel and a 20-year-old lady were taken to an unknown destination. Since then, we have not seen any of those taken away.”
The spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, described the incident as a case of kidnapping and not a fresh attack by gunmen in the community.
“We are aware of the incident. It’s not a case of another attack on the community. It’s a kidnap incident and we are already investigating it,” he said.
Plateau State has been making headlines since gunmen killed over 150 persons on Christmas Eve in a coordinated attack on 17 communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu local government areas of the state.
The assailants also razed about 221 houses, rendering over 10,000 people in the communities displaced.
Meanwhile, the Special Military Task Force in Plateau State, Operation Safe Haven, has debunked reports that its commander was arrested in connection with the Christmas Eve attacks.
It was alleged that the Commander of Sector 5 of the task force, manning Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, was apprehended for his alleged involvement in the deadly attacks.
But in a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman for the military task force, Capt. Oya James, dismissed the report as untrue, saying that it was designed to serve the selfish interests of its purveyors.
He assured the people that the dedication and commitment of their troops remained unwavering in ensuring the safety and security of the affected communities.
He said, “Operation Safe Haven wishes to categorically dismiss and denounce as false and misleading the recent publication on an online news platform, alleging the arrest of the Commander of Sector 5 located in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State for his alleged involvement in the recent attacks on communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu local government areas.
“The report is not only baseless but is also a deliberate attempt to malign the reputation of our gallant troops and undermine the efforts of Operation Safe Haven, intended to bring those responsible for the reprehensible acts to justice.
“Operation Safe Haven, a multi-agency security initiative, has been steadfastly addressing the recurring security challenges on the Plateau and its environs. The dedication and commitment of our troops remain unwavering in ensuring the safety and security of the affected communities.”
The OPSH urged the public and all stakeholders “to support our troops by providing actionable information that will aid in the ongoing efforts to restore peace and security to the region.”
