NIGERIANS are blaming the federal government as well as the country’s security agencies for the fresh killings that took place in Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State between Saturday and Sunday.
According to the Nigeria Police Force, 86 persons have been confirmed killed in the attacks and over 50 houses torched. However, residents of the area and survivors of the attack say more than 120 persons were killed.
Reports say suspected herdsmen attacked a village during a burial event and started killing people and burning houses.
“Fulani people attacked our members who attended the burial of the father to one of our clergy Baba Jakawa, at Gidin Akwati, Gashis district. Late Jakawa was aged over 80 years, a committed member of COCIN, so his burial attracted many sympathisers,” Pam Chollom, Pastor in charge of Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN) told journalists on Saturday.
“The armed Fulanis ambushed the sympathisers on their way back from the burial, attacked and killed 34 persons from Nekan village, 39 others from Kufang, and 47 people from Ruku village. As we speak with you, many others are still missing in the bushes.”
Many who reacted to development on tweeter said this is one killing too many, and urged the federal government to match their words with actions and stop the incessant killings across many states of the country.
Some others wondered what might have led to the killings since there is no anti-open grazing law in Plateau State. Mansur Dan-Ali, Minister of Defence, had attributed the killings by herdsmen in Benue State to the enforcement of the anti-open grazing bill.
Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the fresh killings, vowing not to rest “until all murderers and criminal elements and their sponsors are incapacitated and brought to justice”.
In 2018 alone, there have been mass killings in Benue, Rivers, Taraba, Zamfara, Kaduna and Plateau States; some o f the states have witnessed mass killings more than once.
These do not include the killings by Boko Haram insurgents in the North East region.
Yet, the Buhari administration consistently claim that it has delivered on its promise to significantly improve security in Nigeria, which is one out of its three cardinal policies.
But many Nigerians disagree. Read some of the reactions below:
Mindless killings in our country, we cannot be in continuous mode of bloodletting & mourning. Government needs to be alive to its primary responsibility of protection of lives and property. My heart goes to the victims of Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau Statehttps://t.co/x3f0UcHC2F
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) June 24, 2018
Today again, suspected herdsmen killed over 200 Nigerians in Plateau State.
I am not aware of any Anti Grazing Law in Plateau State. So can the FG that claimed that anti grazing law made by some States caused the killings by herdsmen tell Nigerians what happened?— Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) June 24, 2018
The senseless killings in Plateau state sadly jolts us back to reality from the temporary feeling of a united country after @NGSuperEagles gave us something to celebrate. A sad reality that the government has failed, is failing to nip the killings in Adamawa Benue etc in the bud.
— Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) June 24, 2018
A LEADER WILL NOT allow KILLINGS of his PEOPLE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.
It is ABNORMALITY for a people to NOT VALUE the Lives of their fellow human beings.
THESE KILLINGS MUST STOP, .@NGRPresident @MBuhari !!!
Give JUSTICE to the nearly 200 DEAD in Plateau. DO IT NOW!!!
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) June 25, 2018
Endless killings and carnage across Benue, Adamawa, Taraba, Kogi, Kaduna, Nassarawa and Zamfara states.
This week is the turn of Plateau State.
But some will be blind to the killings and downplay the carnage due to political sycophancy and demonic hypocrisy.
— Dr. Dipo Awojide (@OgbeniDipo) June 24, 2018
Over 200 innocent lives again wasted in Gashish, Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State in another round of senseless killings by the murderous Fulani herdsmen.
The killing spree that lasted over 60hr while Governor Simon Lalong and Pres Buhari were dancing at the APC Convention. pic.twitter.com/PyOEV0nBRz— I’m Leah Sharibu ???????? (@McBidis) June 24, 2018
Last month, armed bandits killed in Zamfara. Last week, truck fell off the bridge in Lagos & killed people. This week, Fulani herdsmen killings in Plateau. Untimely death of innocent citizens now a daily occurrence yet, no meaningful help in sight to curb the reoccurrence! ????
— Opeyemi Babalola (@CACCOT1) June 24, 2018
I hear around 100 have been killed in Plateau state this weekend. Most of the states where killings go on unchallenged are APC states. The governors are ready to sacrifice their citizens so they don’t offend Buhari as any condemnation will be seen as an indictment of Buhari
— Babasola Kuti (@SKSolaKuti) June 24, 2018
I’ve slept, woken up and slept again, hoping to wake up and this will all be a dream. No! It’s not! It’s real! Plateau killings is as real as all the other killings in Benue, Adamawa etc. And like the other ones, the PMB led FG clearly don’t give a fuck!
— Nwachukwu Emmanuel (@emma_dele) June 25, 2018
People die in Nigeria more than Syria!
Seven (7) family members were killed in the ongoing killings on the Plateau yesterday. The breaking news of killings has become a normal news now in Nigeria.
Middlebelt cannot release their ancestral land for any grazing reserve.@NGRSenate pic.twitter.com/YrDwMWGzZL
— U C H E E Z E O Y E ???????? ???????? (@uche_ezeonye) June 24, 2018