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At least five miners were killed and two others injured after gunmen ambushed them at a mining site in Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 1 pm on Saturday at Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
Sources said the miners were carrying out their legitimate activities when they were attacked, a development that has thrown the community into mourning and raised fresh concerns over the safety of residents in the area.
Confirming the attack, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders-Association, Rwang Tengwong, said five persons lost their lives while two others sustained injuries.
“It is a very sad and painful development. Our people are once again mourning the loss of lives to violence,” Tengwong said, while calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect communities and prevent recurrence.
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Similarly, a community member, Simon Mundat, described the incident as devastating.
“We are deeply saddened by this attack. We appeal to authorities to strengthen security in the area so that our people can go about their legitimate activities without fear,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get official confirmation from security agencies were unsuccessful.
In a related development, security operatives, in collaboration with local hunters, have repelled an attack by suspected terrorists on Latok community in Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area of the state.
A community member, Mr Danat Noel, said the attackers invaded the community on Friday but were forced to retreat following a swift response by security personnel and local hunters.
Several calls by Sunday PUNCH to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, were repeatedly ignored.
Alabo terminated the call on three occasions after listening to questions about the killing of five miners in the state.
He, however, ignored several other calls and a WhatsApp message sent to him on the matter.
