No fewer than nine persons were killed on Wednesday night when gunmen attacked Chigwi village, Vwang District of Jos South local government area of Plateau State, during a crossover night celebration.
The secretary to the district head of Vwang, Iliya Chung, confirmed the attack on Thursday, saying the victims included men, women and children.
“What happened is that yesterday around 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., we got a call that there’s an attack at one of our villages called Boom in Chigwi village in Vwang district, and we were hearing gunshots and around 12 a.m. they started bringing some of the victims that were affected. So, around that yesterday, we received six bodies,” Chung said.
He added that the death toll rose to nine by Thursday morning.
“This morning, we confirmed that it’s nine people. There were eight corpses and another one who gave up at the hospital this morning. Currently, there is tension in the area. There is one family that was wiped, it’s only one child that survived in that family. We don’t know the number of people that were injured up till now because we are still gathering some of the names of the people. Police are there right now,” he stated.
Chung disclosed that the district head had earlier warned residents of a possible attack following threats, though the suspected target was said to be Farin Lamba community.
“Even though we warned our people that we should not do crossover celebrations. We were hearing that there will be an attack, but not that area. They were saying that they would attack Farin Lamba, but they went to another village,” he said.
As a result of the incident, he said the district has suspended its annual New Year celebration in Vwang, which the state governor was expected to attend.
“We’re supposed to have our celebration today, New Year celebration in Vwang that the governor wanted to come for. Because of this thing now, there’s nothing we can do. We are suspending everything because of what has happened,” Chung added.
He also recalled a similar attack two weeks ago in K-Vom Division.
“About two weeks ago, there was an attack in K-Vom Division, in which they killed a policeman. He was on his duty post around 11 p.m. to 12 a.m., they came and killed him, and they left with his gun,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Plateau State Police Command said it was yet to confirm the incident. The Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, said, “I am working on some of this information,” adding that he would provide details after receiving reports from officers on ground.
