A spokesperson for the community in Nigeria’s central Plateau state reported that at least 30 people have been killed and several others injured in a series of attacks around Mangu town, despite a state-imposed curfew. The region has experienced frequent farmer-herder attacks and communal conflicts, resulting in hundreds of deaths in recent years.
The most recent violence occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday following a Christmas Day attack in the area that left at least 140 people dead. A curfew was put in place on Jan. 23 to maintain order.
The targeted attacks took place in several villages including Kwahaslalek, Kinat, and Mairana, located on the borders of Mangu and Barkin Ladi local government areas. Community leader Joseph Gwankat of the Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA) stated that the victims had sought refuge in the house of a community leader after earlier unrest in Mangu town, only to be surrounded and killed by the attackers.
Survivors reported that the gunmen indiscriminately shot at people, including women and children, and set fire to houses and property. A subsequent statement from the MDA blamed the attack on herders, and questioned the lack of intervention from troops deployed by the federal government to the area since the Christmas attacks.
Nigeria’s defense spokesperson Tukur Gusau defended the military’s response to the conflict, stating that the soldiers remained neutral and professional in their actions. He also asserted that criminals involved in looting, burning of properties, and weapons possession had been successfully arrested by the troops.
The recent attacks add to a surge in violence in the Plateau, characterized by ongoing clashes between nomadic herders and local farming communities. Plateau governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the attacks and urged for calm while asserting that his government is taking proactive measures to prevent further destruction of lives and property.
Author: Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editor: Toby Chopra
