Black Saturday in Jos: Herdsmen Kill 120 Returning from Funeral

BY Pat PA Okon

At least 120 people returning from a funeral service in Jos, were yesterday, killed by armed men suspected to be herdsmen.

The Pastor-in-charge of Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN) Regional Church Council (RCC) Rop in BarkinLadi Local Government Area said the mourners were killed by suspected armed herdsmen in an attack on Saturday that lasted for several hours.

“Fulani people attacked our members who attended the burial of the father to one of our clergy Baba Jakawa, at GidinAkwati, Gashis district. Late Jakawa was aged over 80 years, a committed member of COCIN, so his burial attracted many sympathisers.”

“The armed Fulanis ambushed the sympathisers on their way back from the burial, attacked and killed 34 persons from Nekan village, 39 others from Kufang, and 47 people from Ruku village.

“As we speak with you, many others are still missing in the bushes,” he said in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

The cleric added that “the sad incident started at about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and lasted still about 8:00 p.m. yesterday (Saturday).

“We informed members of the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis. They went to one of the villages, but the attackers had committed the havoc and left,” Mr Chollom said.

The spokesman of the STF, also known as “Operation Safe Heaven,” Umar Adams, confirmed the attack in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.

He, however, could not ascertain the casualty.

“I’m speaking with you from one the scenes of the incident. Our men were able to repel the attackers, made some arrest, though lives were lost. But at the moment, I cannot tell you exact number of the deaths.”

“Our men in BarkinLadi responded promptly to the incident, because they heard sounds of the gun shots, and moved to the direction.

“On reaching there, there was another similar incident in another village, some of them were redeployed to the affected area. We have been able to arrest the situation, it is now calm.”

On its part, the Nigeria Police Force, through its spokesperson in Plateau, TernaTyopev, told journalists in Jos that 11 people died from the attack.

Mr. Tyopev said the bodies of the deceased persons have been deposited at the BarkinLadi general hospital. He also said armed personnel have been redeployed to the trouble areas.