Gunmen ambush, kill two farmers in Plateau
By Golok Nanmwa
Suspected gunmen have ambushed and killed two farmers in Takkas community, Fier Ward of Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State, in separate attacks that have heightened fears among residents.
Sources told Vanguard that the victims were attacked while working on their farms on Sunday and Monday.
The member representing Pankshin North Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dewan Gabriel, who confirmed the incident to Vanguard, said one victim was killed on Sunday while the second was murdered on Monday evening.
According to him, the attackers ambushed the victims on their farms, adding that one of the corpses was deposited at the General Hospital, Pankshin, while the other was taken to a Christian hospital in the area.
“One person was killed yesterday and another today. They were ambushed on their farms. One corpse is at the General Hospital, Pankshin, while the other has been taken to a Christian hospital,” he said.
The latest killings have heightened anxiety in the community, with many residents expressing fears over returning to their farms at the peak of the farming season.
Condemning the attack, Gabriel described the killings as barbaric, senseless and unacceptable.
In a statement made available to newsmen, the lawmaker expressed sympathy to the bereaved families, the people of Takkas community and the entire Fier Ward.
“I received with deep shock and sadness the heartbreaking news of the attack on Takkas Community in Fier Ward, Pankshin Local Government Area, which claimed the lives of innocent people and left many families in grief,” he said.
Gabriel called on security agencies to intensify efforts to identify, arrest and prosecute those behind the attack, stressing that the people of the area deserved to live in peace and security.
He also pledged to work with security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident and prevent a recurrence.
The lawmaker urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding and cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could assist ongoing investigations.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get the reaction of security agencies were unsuccessful.