Gunmen on motorbikes fired on villagers in Zurak, a mining community in Wase district of Plateau State, killing about 40 persons, then set many homes on fire early on Tuesday morning.
The attack is the latest violence in the Plateau often a flashpoint because of disputes over land.
Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Musa Ibrahim Ashoms confirmed the incident. “As we speak, about 40 people have been confirmed dead“, he told newsmen.
A local youth leader in the community, Mr Shafi’i Sambo put the figure at 42.
Uncertain Cause For The Attacks
Wase has deposits of zinc and lead, while Plateau as a whole is known for its tin mining industry.
It sits on the dividing line between Nigeria’s mostly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.. For its lush beautiful greenery, rich soil, clement weather, it often sees outbreaks of violence often allegedly sparked by marauding herdsmen on indigenous pastoral farmers.
The latest attack is a continuation of a reign of in northern Nigeria for the past two decades. Heavily armed criminal gangs simply raid villages, loot, kill enmass, and sometimes kidnap for ransom.
In January, clashes erupted in Plateau’s Mangu town left churches and mosques burned and more than 50 people dead and thousands displaced.
Governor Rallies The People
Amnesty International claims at least 1,336 people have been killed in the Plateau between December 2023 and February 2024 alone.
Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, is calling for peace and unity, asking the people to stand together in unity to protect and preserve the state’s proud heritage against outside threats. “I urge the traditional ruler to use his position to unite the ethnic nationalities of Plateau. We are one people, and nothing should divide us. Our strength lies in our unity, and we must support one another”, he said.
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