By Nurat Uthman
Gunmen have reportedly attacked two communities in Plateau State, killing seven persons.
The victims were said to have died following attacks by the assailants in Pukah and Pinper communities of Mangu Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Thursday.
It was learnt that while six men and a lady were killed in Pukah community, the gunmen stole sheep and other domestic animals in Pinper community.
A resident of Pukah community, John Mark, confirmed the killings to The PUNCH in Jos on Thursday.
Mark said, “The Pukah community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State came under heavy attack by gunmen early this morning (Thursday). They also attacked another community in the council area known as Pinper.
“In Pukah community, they killed one lady and six men. But in Pinper, they carted away several numbers of sheep before they fled the communities ”
Mark who condemned the attack said the incident had been reported to security operatives.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Military Taskforce in charge of maintaining peace in the state, Captain Oya James, said he would get back to our correspondent regarding the attack but he had yet to do so of the time of filing this report.
The PUNCH reports that the killing of the seven persons by gunmen in Mangu community came hours after the state government trained 600 personnel for the state-owned security outfit known as Operation Rainbow.
During their passing out parade in Jos on Wednesday, Governor Caleb Mutfwang who expressed his appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his support to state-owned security outfits stated that the revitalisation of the outfit was timely, coming when the state needed consolidation on the gains of tackling security challenges that had ravaged the state for years.
He cautioned the operatives that his administration would not allow indiscipline and unprofessional conduct and charged them to contribute their quota towards efforts to secure the lives and property of the citizens.