Plateau: Bassa village Chief, two others killed days after peace meeting
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Barely 48hrs after Plateau locals in Bassa Local Government Area signed a peace agreement with their Fulani neighbors, three people were Monday killed in what appeared to be renewed gun attack in the area.
A community leader identified as Mr. Musa Yevuh was killed along with two women in the bush in Hukke village, it was learnt.
Mr. Yevuh, 40 had reportedly accompanied the two women – Mrs. Ladi Wuh, 45 and Mrs. Laraba Audu, 36, wife to the only survivor, Mr. Dewe Audu, to fetch firewood when the attack occurred at about 8:30am.
The attackers said to be numbering more than 10 had reportedly planned to attack the entire Hukke village, local sources say.
They were however said to have been repelled by a joint team of local vigilante groups and military operatives who were alerted by the gun blasts from the attack on the first three.
No arrest was made but locals suspect the assailants to be Fulani herders resident in neighboring Funture hamlet.
“The attack was a surprise to us after we agreed to accept peace in a meeting facilitated by the Plateau State Peace Building Agency last Saturday,” says a youth leader in the community, Laurence Zongo.
The Plateau State Peace Building Agency had on Saturday led representatives of Fulani and the native communities to sign a commitment to work together for peace.
President of the Irigwe Community Development Association, Mr. Sunday Abdu had feared the effort might be a decoy like previous treaties which were immediately followed by sporadic attacks.
“We hope that this will not end up like the other ones,” Abdu told journalists in Meyango during the agreement.
The Director General of the Plateau Peace Agency, Mr. Joseph Lengmang was optimistic of a positive outcome with sustained partnership and understanding.
“It is not something that can be achieved on one day but as long as communities agree to work together for peace, you can be sure of reconciliation in the not too distant future,” he said.
Bassa Local Government has witnessed series of attacks over the past three years, with at least 300 people reportedly killed.
The State Government established the Peace Building Agency in 2016 to resolve such conflicts and prevent a reoccurrence through strategic engagements and dialogue.
