The Nation Newspaper

Tag: STF

  • 30 killed in Plateau morning attack

    30 killed in Plateau morning attack

    •Survivor: soldiers did it •‘STF must be queried’

    Thirty people have been killed in an early morning attack reportedly carried out by gunmen, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, in Shonong village of Bashit District, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

    It was gathered that 25 others were injured and over 40 houses set ablaze by the attackers yesterday.

    An eyewitness said the attackers stormed Shonong community, which consists of four villages, at about 7am, shooting sporadically and killing over 30 people.

    The attack was said to have lasted till noon with no security intervention.

    A survivor, Shom Toma, who is receiving treatment at the Vom Christian Hospital, said the attackers stormed the village at about 7am when most of the villagers had gone to their farms, killing mostly children, women and the aged.

    He said he narrowly escaped as he was molding blocks around his house when the invaders arrived.

    An eyewitness said 30 bodies have been discovered and the search operation is still on as many of the injured victims fled into the bush for safety.

    He said many residents are still missing, among them children.

    The witness said soldiers of the Special Task Force did not come to their rescue.

    It was learnt that the acting village heads of Attarkar and Shonong villages were killed two days before Christmas.

    The Majority Leader of the House of Assembly and member representing Riyom Constituency, Daniel Dem, confirmed that over 30 people were killed.

    He said despite the presence of the personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) in the area, the gunmen still operated with impunity.

    “If the military were there in the village and the attack took place at about 8am and lasted till noon, then the military has so many questions to answer.”

    Dem, who visited survivors at the Vom Christian Hospital, said: “We have security men there and if the attack started from 8am till noon, I think something must be wrong, what are the military there for?

    “If there was an attack from morning till noon and people were killed, houses razed, I think the military should be asked why they are there to protect lives and property.

    “We have tried to get in touch with them and they said they are on ground. They should please explain what happened from morning till noon. This is absurd and I am begining to suspect some connivance.”

  • Two herdsmen killed in Jos

    The Special Task Force (STF) in Jos on Wednesday confirmed that rustlers killed two herdsmen and injured another during an attack at Foron community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the incident occurred on Tuesday.

    The spokesman of the STF, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, said that “at least two people were killed. The other person injured during the attack is receiving treatment in a hospital.”

    The spokesman said the STF was, however, investigating the incident.

    The Public Relations Officer of Plateau Police Command, Mrs. Felicia Anselem, who also confirmed the incident, however, said only one person, was killed during the attack.

    “The gunmen on Tuesday night killed one cattle rearer and injured another person during the attack,’’ she said.

    The spokesman said 120 cows were also rustled by the attackers.

    “The police are investigating the matter to unearth those behind the murder and robbery,’’ she said.

    Anselem called on members of the public with vital information on the incident to forward it to the command.

     

     

  • More than 100 bandits killed in Langtang – STF Commander

    The Special Task Force maintaining the peace in Plateau State killed “more than 100’’ of the bandits that attacked Lantang villages last week, according to its Commander, Brig. Gen. Henry Ayoola.

    “The latest number of attackers that fell to our fireworks in the counter gun duel is more than 100. We really devastated them because we circled them up from various angles. They have never been so hit.

    “STF troops deployed to Magama had first engaged them before they were later supported by additional troops that came from Shndam,’’ Ayoola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Wednesday.

    Other villages hit by the attackers included Bolgong and Karkashi.

    Ayoola said that two of the attackers were injured and had been arrested and handed over to the State Security Services.

    He said that many of the corpses had disappeared because the assailants were always quick to evacuate their dead ones.

    “We found that most of the attackers were not even Nigerians; also, many of them wore talismans and all manners of things over their bodies,’’ he added.

    Ayoola wondered what had happened to some Nigerians’ sense of patriotism if they could bring fighters from outside the nation to kill their fellow compatriots.

    The Commander, however, disputed reports attributed to a politician, which claimed that 70 villagers had been killed by the invaders.

    “The official is not in a position to confirm the number of casualties. You remember the council chairman had said that 32 people were confirmed killed. You also remember that we confirmed that only 20 villagers were killed.

    “After the weekend, there has not been any new attack so where is the additional number of casualties coming from?’’ he asked.

     

  • 48 die in Langtang violence

    48 die in Langtang violence

    … Gunmen kill 28, lose 20 – STF

    At least 48 people have been killed in violence in Langtang South Local Government Area of Plateau State since it started on Thursday, the Special Task Force (STF) in the state said.

    The STF spokesman, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Friday that invading gunmen killed 28 persons in Magama, Bongong and Karkashi communities, while the STF killed 20 of them  “in a gun duel that lasted several hours.”

    He said that many other assailants sustained gunshot wounds and were arrested by the STF.

    “Some motorcycles, weapons and ammunition were also recovered,’’ he added.

    Mustapha said the attackers were suspected to be Fulani herdsmen and that they withdrew toward Yamini, Yelwa-Shendam and Agikamai villages in Shendam Local Government Area after the attack.

    He, however, said the situation had been brought under control as more troops had been deployed to secure the area.

    Mustapha said “STF personnel are conducting a robust patrol to guard against further attacks on innocent persons.’’

    He advised the people to go about their normal businesses and warned that security men would deal with anyone caught making trouble in the area.

    “Individuals or groups of persons that have made themselves the enemies of the people will be treated as such because we shall fish them out and deal with them,’’ he warned.

    Meanwhile, the Chairman of Langtang South Local Government, Mr. Naanman Darko, said that more than 6,000 displaced persons were taking refuge at the local government headquarters in Mabudi.

    “In fact, more people are still trooping into the secretariat following rumours that more attacks are underway,’’ he said.

    Darko said nine injured persons were being treated at Langtang South General Hospital.

  • Gunmen kill three farmers in Plateau

    Unidentified gunmen on Monday killed three persons on their farms at Kassa Village in the Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.

    The Special Task Force maintaining peace in the troubled state, said in a statement in Jos that two of the suspected attackers were however, gunned down by STF troops who swiftly rushed to the scene.

    The statement, signed by the Media Officer of the STF, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, said the attackers invaded the farm at about 8:00am and opened fire on the farmers.

    “The STF quickly responded to the distress call from some of the fleeing victims but on sighting the troops, the gunmen opened fire on them.

    “This led to a gun duel that resulted to the killing of two of the suspected attackers.

    “STF personnel also arrested four of the gunmen who were injured in the process, while three AK 47 rifles and a locally made rifle were recovered from them.

    “Also recovered were 45 rounds of 7.62 (special) and 31 other cartridges,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the STF media officer as saying in the statement.

    The statement also disclosed that gunmen on Saturday attacked some cows while grazing at Kassa area of Ropp in the Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area.

     

  • STF to probe police inspector’s killing

    The Special Task Force in Plateau State said it will set up a committee to investigate the killing of a police inspector at Mikang on Monday.

    The inspector was allegedly shot by an army corporal attached to the STF at a checkpoint in Mikang.

    STF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Henry Ayoola, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Jos on Wednesday that the committee would soon be constituted to investigate the incident.

    The STF boss described the incident as very unfortunate and pledged to ensure that justice was done.

    He confirmed that the soldier involved in the incident had been arrested and was currently being detained.

     

  • STF personnel kills police inspector in Plateau

    An army corporal attached to the Special Task Force in Plateau State on Monday, allegedly killed a police inspector at a check point in the state.

    The Plateau Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Onuigbo, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Jos.

    He said that the incident happened “at about 2pm on Monday.’’

    “Preliminary investigation revealed that the two men had a `little altercation’ that led to the shooting,’’ he said.

    “The matter is already under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Jos. We want to find out why the corporal shot the inspector.

    “The army corporal has been arrested and he is in detention with the appropriate authority.

    “As soon as the matter is completed, he will be charged to court,’’ the police spokesman said.

    The police official, however, did not give the identity of the persons involved.

    “Such details will be made public in due course,’’ he added.

    Efforts to speak with STF spokesman, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, proved abortive as calls to his line were neither picked, nor returned.

    An STF source told NAN that the spokesman was on the entourage of the STF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Henry Ayoola, on a peace sensitisation tour to some crisis-prone communities in the outskirts of Jos.

  • STF confirms killing of grandma, 13 others in Plateau

    STF confirms killing of grandma, 13 others in Plateau

    The military Special Task Force in Plateau on Friday confirmed the murder of 14 persons in separate attacks on some rural communities in the state between Wednesday and Thursday.

    The STF said in a statement that among those murdered was a 75-year-old woman in Sara village of Riyom Local Government Area.

    The statement, signed by the STF media officer, Lt. Kingsley Egbo, said: “The old woman was killed along with her three children.’’

    It said gunmen also attacked and wiped out a family of eight at a remote village, near Sop in Makera and two others at Lotton village in Jol, Riyom Local Government Area.

    The statement said the task force had got a lead on the possible attackers and was making efforts to arrest the suspects.

    The STF also said that its personnel had arrested some herdsmen, who allegedly attacked farmers working on their farms at Rarin-Sho village of Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area.

    “When we received reports of the attack, we quickly moved into Sho village and engaged the assailants in a gun battle which led to the arrest of some of the attackers.

    “We also recovered some of their weapons while many others escaped with gunshot wounds. The suspects are currently being interrogated,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted STF as saying in the statement.

    It said a fresh problem arose on Thursday in Barkin-Ladi over the pulling down of the fence of a prayer ground, which had been in contention for some time.

    “During the rampage, a young man was beaten to a state of coma and his motorcycle burnt around Ungwan-Sarki area of the town.

    “The STF immediately moved to the area, rescued the victim and conveyed him to Barkin-Ladi General Hospital while the situation has been brought under control,’’ the statement said.

    The task force warned the people against disrupting the peace and vowed to deal with those who fomented trouble.