By Abdullahi InuwaÂ
Several Fulani residents have reportedly been killed in a fresh attack on Jwak Maitumbi community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, with about 45 residential shelters destroyed and farmlands belonging to the community extensively damaged.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, August 16, has heightened security concerns in the area and raised fears of possible reprisals between rival communities.
Following a distress report received at about 7:45 a.m., troops of Sector 8, Operation Enduring Peace, deployed at Sabon Gari, moved into the affected community to assess the situation and prevent further violence.
A military security source told Zagazola Makama that troops discovered extensive destruction on arrival, including about 45 shelters occupied by Fulani residents. Valuables were also reportedly looted during the attack.
The assailants were said to have killed several residents before allegedly slaughtering some of the victims, forcing women, children and elderly residents to flee their homes in search of safety.
The attackers also reportedly moved into farms belonging to Fulani residents, where they used cutlasses to destroy large quantities of crops, further deepening the losses suffered by the affected community.
In response, troops summoned the Galadima and youth leader of Jwak Maitumbi and directed the community leadership to cooperate with security agencies in identifying and producing those responsible for the violence.
The incident has renewed concerns over the cycle of violence that has plagued parts of Plateau State, where attacks and counter-attacks between communities have repeatedly resulted in deaths, destruction of property and mass displacement.
Security officials are particularly concerned that the latest attack could trigger retaliatory violence if the perpetrators are not identified and held accountable.
The destruction of homes and livelihoods has also increased the humanitarian pressure on affected families, many of whom were forced to abandon their shelters with little or no belongings.
Troops have since maintained a strong presence in the general area while engaging traditional and community leaders in efforts to calm tensions and prevent further escalation.
Security authorities are also working to ensure that the attack does not become another link in the long-running cycle of revenge violence in the area.
For residents of Jwak Maitumbi, the immediate priority remains the restoration of security and the safe return of displaced families, while authorities face mounting pressure to identify those behind the attack and bring them to justice.
Source:@ZagazolaMakama
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