Grief and anger swept through Gwon-Ajang village in the Foron District of the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday as eight victims of a recent gunmen attack were laid to rest in a mass burial.
Family members, community leaders, religious leaders, and sympathisers gathered for the emotional ceremony, mourning those killed during the attack on the community between Saturday and Sunday.
More than 15 persons were reportedly injured in the assault, which has renewed concerns over the persistent insecurity in parts of Plateau State.
Speaking during the burial, a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, Hon. Peter Gyendeng, lamented the recurring attacks and the continuous loss of lives in affected communities.
“We are sick and tired of being killed. We have been living in peace and have tried everything humanly possible not to engage anybody,” he said.
“We have never crossed into another community to attack anyone, yet these things continue to happen to us daily.”
Gyendeng expressed frustration over what he described as the inability of authorities to halt the cycle of violence, despite the peaceful disposition of residents.
“It is painful. People stay in their communities, and somebody comes to attack and kill them. You cannot even celebrate one good thing without fear. For how long will people continue to live this kind of life?” he asked.
He urged security agencies and government authorities to take decisive steps to end the attacks and ensure that those responsible are apprehended and prosecuted.
Also reacting, the member representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ishaya David Lalu, described the killings in Foron and other recent attacks across Plateau State as tragic and unacceptable.
“I am deeply saddened by the continuous loss of innocent lives in our communities,” he said.
“These attacks are not only cruel but also a direct assault on our shared humanity and peaceful coexistence as a people.”
Lalu called on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable communities and bring perpetrators to justice.
Meanwhile, the national president of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Dalyop Mwantiri, warned that many rural communities remain exposed to attacks due to inadequate security presence.
According to him, residents largely depend on local vigilante groups that are poorly equipped to confront heavily armed attackers.
He called on the Federal Government to deploy additional security personnel to vulnerable communities, warning that failure to act could leave residents at the mercy of armed assailants.
Mwantiri also decried what he described as a “conspiracy of silence” over repeated attacks on indigenous communities and urged authorities to strengthen the security architecture in affected areas.
He further appealed to the Federal Government to seek international collaboration and support in tackling insecurity and terrorism in the state.
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