Gunmen attack mourners at mass burial in Plateau, many feared dead

Plateau State has again been thrown into mourning and panic after suspected gunmen attacked a community in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, killing and injuring an unconfirmed number of residents during a mass burial ceremony.

The attack reportedly occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Nding Fan District, where villagers had gathered to bury seven people killed in an earlier assault on the same community.

Eyewitness accounts said the mourners were in the process of digging graves when armed men, believed to have been positioned on surrounding hills, descended on the area and opened fire.

A journalist and eyewitness, Masara Kim, described the incident as a coordinated assault affecting multiple communities at once, saying at least five communities were under simultaneous attack.

According to him, the attackers struck as the burial was ongoing, forcing residents to abandon the ceremony and flee for safety amid heavy gunfire.

He said one person was killed in his presence, while local vigilante groups armed with hunting rifles and improvised weapons were overwhelmed by the attackers.

Kim further stated that he narrowly escaped the scene as the gunmen advanced, adding that the full casualty figure remained unclear due to the chaos and ongoing violence.

Another local source, Rwang Tengwong of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, described the situation as “terrible,” noting that efforts were underway to rescue those still trapped in surrounding areas.

Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

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