Angry women from Gashish community in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State, on Monday, vandalised a military checkpoint during a mass protest over persistent attacks in their area. They accused the security forces of failing to protect residents, alleging possible collaboration with attackers.
This is even as no fewer than six people have been killed and eight others injured following two separate overnight attacks on communities in Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas of the state.
The first incident occurred late Sunday night in Hurum Gashish, a community in Barkin Ladi, where gunmen reportedly invaded the area at about 10 p.m. and opened fire on unsuspecting villagers. Four people were confirmed dead, while five others sustained varying degrees of injury.
Barely an hour later, a similar attack was reported in Shonong Bachi community in neighbouring Riyom LGA. The assailants stormed the area and began shooting sporadically, leaving two people dead and three others wounded.
The killings caused panic in the communities, forcing many locals to flee their homes. Women in the violence-ridden areas have now come out to vent their frustration at the military who they believe are not doing enough to stop the carnage.
Coming out in large numbers, they tore down the checkpoint set up, insisting that security operatives have “lost touch with reality” by allowing armed groups to make life miserable for residents.
Many of the women, visibly emotional, decried the recurring attacks on their community, noting that youths, women and the elderly remain vulnerable, Vanguard reports.
Some of the protesters who spoke during the demonstration demanded immediate intervention from the government and security agencies to end the violence and restore peace.
“We are tired of burying our children and husbands. The soldiers are here, yet we are still dying. If they cannot protect us, they should leave our land,” said Mercy Dachung, a mother of four.
Another protester, Nancy Gyang, accused security operatives of indifference.
“Each time we are attacked, we call them. They come after we have counted our losses. Are they with us or with the killers? We removed that checkpoint because it has not stopped the attacks,” she said.
Also speaking, Chundung Bot, a women’s leader, said the community had lost confidence in the security presence.
“They tell us they are here for peace, but there is no peace. Our youths are gone, our elderly are gone, and our farms are no longer safe. We want the government to hear us. We cannot continue like this,” she said.
They called on government and security agencies to take urgent steps to end the violence and restore peace.
