By Chucks Okafor
A fresh wave of violence has
struck Plateau State after gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias reportedly
killed a pastor and injured two worshippers during an attack on Fubok village
in Bokkos Local Government Area.
The late-night assault, which occurred on Thursday in the
Daffo District, claimed the life of a clergyman identified simply as Pastor Philibus, while two members of
his congregation sustained serious injuries.
The attack was disclosed on Friday by conflict journalist Masara Kim Usman, who said the armed
assailants stormed the community and opened fire on residents.
According to him, the attack on Fubok came shortly after the
same group allegedly invaded a nearby village, where three other people were
reportedly killed.
"Terrorists reportedly invaded Fubok late in the
evening after killing three residents, leaving a pastor dead and two of his
members critically injured," Usman wrote in a post on his Facebook page.
In a separate update, the journalist reported that violence
had also spread to other parts of Plateau, with fresh shootings recorded in Dorowa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
He said reports indicated that at least two people were
killed and another injured in Daffo, while gunfire continued in Dorowa as
residents fled for safety.
The latest attacks came despite an earlier warning issued by
the President of the Berom
Youth-Moulders Association (BYM), Barrister Solomon Mwantiri, who had alerted the public to
intelligence suggesting an imminent attack around the Dorowa Babuje area.
In the security advisory shared on Facebook before the
incident, Mwantiri urged motorists travelling between Jos and Mangu through the Dorowa Babuje route to suspend their
journeys until security agencies declared the area safe.
He also appealed to security agencies to deploy personnel
quickly to vulnerable communities to protect lives and restore peace.
While advising residents to remain calm, he cautioned
against circulating unverified information and urged people to stay vigilant.
As of the time of filing this report, security authorities
had not issued an official statement on the latest attacks or confirmed the
number of casualties. The renewed violence has, however, heightened fears among
residents, who continue to call for stronger security measures to prevent
further bloodshed across Plateau's troubled communities.
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