JOS, Nigeria – In a harrowing display of grief and anger, residents of Farin Lamba in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State disrupted traffic along the Jos-Abuja Highway on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, by barricading the road with the bodies of victims killed in a recent mining site attack.
The brutal incident took place on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, following a security alert on social media warning of an imminent assault on the community and surrounding areas.
The security alert, shared widely on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, had stated: “Security alert: villages such as Sham, Wereng, Kum, Byei of Riyom LGA, and Farin Lamba and Dabwak in Jos South to be attacked any moment from now as armed Fulani have been spotted moving toward the area. Chaha, Rangyel, K-Vom, and Chakarum should also be on a serious watch.”
The attack proceeded as anticipated despite the warning, leaving several people dead.
In response, residents from Farin Lamba and parts of the nearby Riyom Local Government Area took to the highway today, dragging the bodies of the slain victims and creating a chaotic scene that forced commuters to seek alternative routes.
This horrific event comes after a resurgence of killings in the past two weeks throughout communities in Jos North, Jos South, Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom.
Alfred Alabo, the state Police Public Relations Officer, said: “We are on top of the situation, we are managing it so it does not escalate. The Area Commander found a way to divert traffic because we can’t stop the movement of the people. They were moving with the bodies, so we were able to persuade them to remove the bodies and they agreed. We appeal to the people to be calm.”
Alabo also addressed the recent security alert: “We saw the alert, but Farin Lamba is big, so we did not know the exact location. We appeal to people to always give timely information and the details that would help us to respond. We are working on the situation but must emphasize precision when giving information.”
Meanwhile, Plateau State’s Governor-elect, Caleb Mutfwang, condemned the attack through a statement issued by his Special Assistant (Media), Gyang Bere.
Mutfwang expressed his pain over the “bloody attack by bandits on innocent citizens at a mining site in Farin Lamba community,” and called on security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice. He also urged security personnel to do everything possible to prevent further attacks on Plateau communities.
