A 32-year-old breastfeeding mother was killed and two other women severely injured on Tuesday in an attack by armed assailants in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
According to a statement issued by the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), signed by its Secretary-General, Mr Bature Iliya Adazaram, the women were attacked at about 11:21 am on Tuesday while travelling on a commercial motorcycle to their farm.
The statement described how the attackers, who had laid an ambush, descended heavily on the victims and inflicted deep cuts on them with cutlasses.
The commercial motorcyclist managed to escape from the scene of the horrific incident, abandoning his motorcycle.
“The armed Fulani ambushed the unsuspecting victims, who were on a motorcycle from Bangai to Riyom, unaware that the attackers had pinned them down with arms, which they used to open gunfire on the victims.
“After shooting at them, the Fulani proceeded to hack the victims, one of whom, Mrs Kangyang Benjamis, succumbed to her injuries at Riyom General Hospital.
“The deceased’s eight-month-old baby, named Dalo Benjamin, along with Mrs Mary Monday, 52, and Mrs Regina Monday, 50, sustained severe injuries.
“The baby, though injured, was found lying in the mother’s pool of blood and was taken to the hospital alongside the other victims who sustained injuries.”
The statement further mentioned that a source close to the scene reported that the assailants had taken away the motorcycle of Mr Habila Danladi, who narrowly escaped.
The Berom Youth Moulders Association has therefore called for the removal of all Fulani settlers who, according to the group, have illegally occupied over 151 lands in Plateau State, arguing that law-abiding citizens and residents would not know peace otherwise.
However, the spokesman for the Plateau State Command of the Nigerian Police, DSP Alfred Alabo, could not be reached for comment.
