Gunmen kill nine in fresh attack …as truck crushes four beggars

Nine more people have been killed by gunmen in an attack on Ratas village of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, just as four beggars were Friday crushed to death near the Jos Central Mosque when a truck driver lost control and ran over them where they were seated begging for arms. The incident happened at about 4.30 pm. The killing at Ratas is alleged to have been carried out by the same gun men who killed about 20 people in two villages of Bokkos Local Government area a few days ago. They were believed to have capitalized on the massive deployment of members of the Special Task Force (STF) from their posts in the area to Bokkos LGA to attack the village. Chairman, Management Committee of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area Mr. Emmanuel Loman who attended the mass burial of those killed confirmed the attack. He said the attackers fleeing from Bokkos LGA following the massive deployment of troops to the area attacked the village as they were escaping and raised an alarm that the movement of the suspected Fulani militia had also been noticed around Gashish in the LGA. He warned that they could unleash terror on the people of the area unless something was done urgently to repel them. Also confirming the Ratas killings, acting spokesman of the STF Navy Lt. Jude Akpa said the force responded promptly on hearing the report of the attack but the gunmen had fled before they arrived there. He said members of the STF took those injured to hospital for treatment on arrival at the village. Vanguard