COCIN Pastor, 20 Others Killed As Gunmen Invade Riyom, Barkin Ladi LGAs In Plateau State

Yet-to-be-identified gunmen have killed Rev. Nichodemus Kim of the Church of Christ in the Nation (COCIN) and 20 others in Riyom and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas, Plateau state.

The pastor was assassinated in Barkin Ladi’s Gana-Ropp hamlet, while others were slaughtered in Riyom’s Rim, Jol, and Kwi communities.

Mr. Rwang Tengwong, National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Movement (BYM), a socio-cultural organisation, announced this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Jos.According to Tengwong, the communities were targeted simultaneously and with great precision.

He explained that the attacks on Sunday night left numerous persons with varied degrees of injuries, and that scores of people are temporarily displaced.

”Twenty-one persons were killed and several others injured on Sunday during coordinated attacks by militias on residents of Rim, Jol, Kwi communities of Riyom as well as Gana-Ropp community in Barkin Ladi Two persons were killed at Rim, Seven at Jol, 11 at Kwi, all in Riyom, while a clegyman, Rev. Nichodemus Kim, was killed in Gana-Ropp Barkin Ladi ”The attacks on Rim, Jol and Kwi were simultaneously coordinated and held between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday”In Kwi, an entire community, Hei-gwe, was razed and over 100 farmlands destroyed,” he said.

Tengwong called on the government and the security agencies to fashion out lasting solutions to the spate of attacks and killings in communities.”The BYM under the leadership of Solomon Mwantiri, hereby condemns the coordinated attacks and other forms of provocation meted out on innocent persons of Plateau since after the 2023 general elections.

”We call on the new administration both at Federal and state levels, to come up with new strategies to address the security situation in the country and particularly in Plateau.

”Security personnel must also wake up to their statutory responsibilities to safeguard lives and property. BYM equally calls on the Berom nation to remain calm and law abiding, but must explore every avenue to defend their communities as we cannot sit and watch while they kill us one after another,” he said.

DSP Alabo Alfred, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, could not be reached for comments. But, Governor Caleb Mutfwang confirmed the killings in a statement by Mr Gyang Bere, his Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA).He promised residents of the state of his commitment towards tackling the spate of attacks, killings, kidnapping and other security challenges currently facing the state.

”Let me assure the people that we are retooling the security apparatus of the state and by the special grace of God we will have a secured Plateau,” he said.

The governor called on the residents of the state to keep away their differences and unite towards moving the state forward.

NAN