The National President, Berom Youth Moulder Association, Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, has disclosed that the latest Plateau killings on Christmas Eve happened simultaneously in over 11 villages.
According to Mwantiri who spoke on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Tuesday, the attackers came en masse on Sunday night and strategically stationed themselves at different locations in the state. They then launched attacks on unsuspecting residents, who were busy preparing for next day’s Christmas celebrations.
“The attackers came en masse. They spread themselves in different locations.
“We received distress calls immediately it started, and relayed same to the security agency. They swung into action immediately and moved to the location of the attack.
“After repelling the attacks, there were more distress calls from other communities where the other perpetrators had spread to.
“Some of the victims managed to escape, but the attackers kept coming after them until security intervened,” he said.
Mwantiri said the attacks happened simultaneously in over 11 communities, leaving at least 150 people dead and several others injured. He added that although security operatives were proactive in tackling the situation, the simultaneous method employed by the attackers made it difficult to adequately defend the people.
“The security found it difficult to effectively defend the people because of the simultaneous method of the attacks. They were overwhelmed,” he explained.
Commenting on the impact of the attacks on residents, Mwantiri said the humanitarian situation was quite pathetic, as people have fled their homes. Property owners now have no place to call home, and can barely feed with their families.
He said women and children were the most hit, as they were home preparing for Christmas without suspecting any sign of the looming tragedy.
Reacting to a question on Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu in ensuring adequate security intervention in Plateau state, Mwantiri said the President has so far done a good job. He explained that prior to Tinubu’s assumption of power, armed bandits used to hold the state under siege for long hours without any interruptions, but lately there have been quick responses to distress calls.
His words:
“Plateau state in the past six months has experienced unprecedented security intervention under President Bola Tinubu.
“I am saying this because prior to his assumption of office, Plateau would suffer many hours of attacks without any security intervention.
“Some locations with heavy presence of security had no effect at all. The bandits still operated without any disturbance.
“Under the Tinubu government, there have been quick responses to distress calls.
“The security have been doing well. The attackers have not been having it easy. It is unfortunate that this one took a rather unexpected dimension’” he said.
Plateau state has been been grappling with incessant attacks by Fulani militias for years.
Land grabbing, political penetration, ethnic cleansing, among other factors have been identified as culprits responsible for the attacks in the state, especially Plateau North and some parts of Plateau Central.
There have been no Press Releases from Security Operatives so far, since the attacks.