Gunmen attack security convoy, kill four in Plateau

Four people, including a security officer, were killed when gunmen attacked a security team in Rakok, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Tuesday.

Dalyop Mwantiri, the president of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), said he was in the security team’s convoy during the ambush.

Mr Mwantiri confirmed the incident in a statement on social media on Tuesday night. He said the attackers hit the team along Gagshi Road while they were responding to a distress call.

He believes he escaped the attack because of what he called divine intervention.

“I would have also been involved in that incident if not that God, out of His mercy, saved me,” Mr Mwantiri said.

Lawrence Gyang, a resident of Rakok, also confirmed the attack. He said three civilians lost their lives.

According to Mr Gyang, the victims included a man and two women who were on their way to a funeral for two people killed the day before while heading to Gashish District.

An operative of Operation Rainbow, who did not want to be named because he was not allowed to talk to the media, said the security team was attacked at about 4 p.m.

“We experienced an ambush at about 4 p.m. in which a security personnel attached to Operation Rainbow was killed,” the operative said.

Mr Mwantiri noted that the attackers are no longer just operating at night.

“The insecurity situation is now taking a bigger dimension as the attacks are no longer confined to the night. They are now occurring in broad daylight,” he said.

He urged security agencies and other authorities to step up their efforts to protect residents and bring peace back to the affected communities.

This latest attack comes amid rising security fears in parts of Plateau State, including Barkin Ladi, Mangu, and Bokkos local government areas. Authorities have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew there.

The details of the attack, including who the attackers are and if any arrests have been made, are not clear yet.