From Ron Jacob, Jos
Six persons have been reportedly killed in series of fresh attacks lauched by unknown gunmen suspectded to be herdsmen at Mai-Jankai near NTV village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
A security personnel told our correspondent that the attackers first launched the attatack around early morning of the day by killing four persons and then later in the afternoon when an additional two people were killed.
The source said that among the victims is a small boy, who was shot even when a 70 year-old man tried to save him.
“The old man was injured in the process and is now receiving treatment along with several others at the Barkin Ladi General Hospital, where the corpses of the six persons were being kept.
“As we speak the gunmen have been exchanging fire with the security men that rushed to rescue the villagers,” the source said.
According to the source, “the attackers would have wiped out the villagers if not for the intervention of the military personnel attached to Special Task Force (STF).’’
Another eye witness said that the village had been under series of attacks in recent times but that the vigilante group had been a hindrance to them.
The source said that the attackers took the viligance group by surprise with that early morning attack, which came after some of them had relaxed and retired home.
“But the surprising thing about this one is that they are bent on wiping us out with the second and third attack this very Sunday, ’’ he lamented.
Contacted, Major Umar Adams, STF Spokesman, who confirmed the incident, said that he could not give details of the situation because they were trying to contain the attacks of the bandits in the affected village.