Latest On Plateau killings: Service Chiefs, Matawale Arrive Jos, To Visit Affected Areas

By Ranti Thomas

The trio of service chiefs-Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla as well as Minister of State for Defence Bello Muhammed Matawalle and the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu have landed in Jos, Plateau State and are expected to visit affected areas of Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi communities where bandits had attacked and killed over 100 people on Christmas Day.

In a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) by Channels TV, the security chiefs and ministers were seen disembarking from a presidential jet.

Their visit to the scene of the attack is coming a day after the Senate had summoned them following a motion of urgent importance moved by Senator Diket Plang, (APC, Plateau Central), over the killings.

Apart from the military heads, the Red Chamber also invited the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi; and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

The gunmen had stormed Ndun, Ngyong, Murfet, Makundary, Tamiso, Chiang, Tahore, Gawarba, Dares, Meyenga, Darwat, and Butura Kampani villages in the Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Bokkos areas of the Plateau State burning houses and shooting residents.

The following day, the Chairman of Community Peace Observers in the Bokkos Local Government Area, Mallaig, told The PUNCH that over 150 people were killed in the attacks while more than 10,000 people were displaced in the LGA alone.

President Bola Tinubu while condemning the attack ordered a manhunt for the killers.

Vice President Kashim Shettima during his visit to the affected communities, also assured that the government would not rest on its oars until victims of the gruesome attacks get justice.