Jos Killings: Another killings in jos plateau state

An elderly man, aged 74, his wife, who was 70, and nine others were murdered in Jos North and Jos South council areas of Plateau State on Sunday evening, by unknown gunmen. The incident came barely 12 hours after a family of eight were massacred by Fulani herdsmen in Heipang, near Jos. The victims were Mr. Chollom Gyang, his wife, Hannatu and six children including a four-month-old baby.

Meanwhile, aggrieved women in Kuru District in Jos South Local Government Area, on Monday morning trooped to the streets in their hundreds to protest against the incessant killings by men in military uniform. Scores of people have been killed since the fresh attacks began last week. www.mannastores.com

Among those killed on Sunday evening were elderly couple, Papa Chukwak (74), Mama Nvou Chuwaks (70) and with their grandchildren, Philip(11) and Titus (eight), all killed at Dakwak village in Farin Lamba area near Science School in Kuru . The only survivor, who is the mother of the two children, is lying critically ill at the Christian Hospital in Vom.

The victims who were attacked at about 7.00pm just after retiring for the night, had bullet wounds and machete cuts on their bodies. The villagers alleged that the attackers were dressed in military uniform.
Similarly in Zakalio village of Targon district of Jos North Local Government Area, seven persons, four males including a four-year-old boy and two women were killed and three others injured. Five houses were also set ablaze in another attack carried out at about 9:00pm the same Sunday night.

Sources said that the attackers came in two Opel Vectra cars and had parked by the roadside before trekking into the village to torch the houses, shoot the villagers most of whom were sleeping. Some had machete cuts.
The men were were said to be wearing military uniforms and the muddy road path into the village had boot prints of the attackers.
When Daily Sun visited the scene, women were wailing, and cursing the attackers.

One of the women who spoke to Daily Sun said that the victims must have been killed at random because they were unarmed and could not have offended anyone to have warranted such a treatment.
Smoke was still bellowing from the burnt mud houses showing signs that the villagers only managed to put out the fire, using water. The floors were littered with partially burnt household utensils and personal belongings.

The Chairman, Jos North Local Government Area, Mr. Timothy Buba, who visited the scene, said the attack was carried out with precision, and by professionals. According to him, the culprits used sophisticated weapons.
He said that the villagers phoned men of the military Special Task Force (STF) whose station was on the highway for help, but allegedly received no immediate response.

Mr Buba said that when they did, instead of coming into the village, they allegedly stood on the highway and were pointing their torchlights into the village; insisting that government must investigate the military men at the checkpoints.
The Chairman suggested that the sector command of the task force should henceforth be held responsible for any attack to avert fresh crisis in Jos by way of revenge.

Meanwhile, the protesting women yesterday sacked soldiers at Mararaban Jammah checkpoint on the Jos-Abuja Road. They set ablaze two trailers, two buses and two cars.
The protest had led to the diversion of vehicles coming into the town to Vom while all the military men disappeared from the checkpoints to avert further bloodshed .