The Plateau State Police Command has provided an update on the recent night attacks on Jol community and Dorowa Babuje of Ropp District in Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas, as affected communities begin preparations to bury victims of the violence.
Speaking off camera to Channels Television, the Commissioner of Police in Plateau State, Bassey Eteh, confirmed that security operatives swiftly moved into the areas after distress calls were received and worked in collaboration with other security agencies to repel the attackers and restore calm.
The CP disclosed that reports from his DPO indicated that four persons were killed, while several others sustained injuries during the attacks.
He added that the police have continued to maintain a strong security presence in the affected communities to protect lives and property and to ensure that normalcy is fully restored.
Earlier accounts by community leaders had put the casualty figure higher following the coordinated attacks, which occurred between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m on Sunday.
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The National President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Barrister Solomon Dalyop, had said the attackers struck Jol and Dorowa Babuje from different routes, alleging that armed men rode into Jol on motorcycles from the Manga axis, while those who attacked Dorowa Babuje emerged from the Jong-Wereh area, where they were believed to have been camping.
Dalyop commended the military for what he described as a swift response in Dorowa Babuje, noting that the intervention prevented further loss of lives.
He also acknowledged the role of Operation Rainbow in repelling the attack on Jol community.
Meanwhile, residents of the affected communities have evacuated the corpses of those killed in the attacks and are currently making arrangements for their burial, amid grief and heightened fear.
Security sources disclosed that joint patrols involving the police, military, and other security outfits have been intensified across vulnerable communities in both Barkin Ladi and Riyom to forestall any reprisal attacks. Surveillance operations are also ongoing to track down the perpetrators and dismantle any suspected hideouts within the surrounding bushes.
Community leaders have called for calm and urged residents not to take the law into their hands, stressing the need for cooperation with security agencies to ensure lasting peace in the area. They appealed to both state and federal authorities to deploy additional security personnel to volatile flashpoints.
As burial arrangements continue, humanitarian concerns are also mounting, with some displaced residents reportedly seeking temporary shelter in neighbouring communities, while local authorities assess the extent of damage to homes and farmlands affected during the attacks.
