Five miners have been killed and two others injured after gunmen reportedly attacked a mining site in Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred on Saturday while the miners were carrying out activities at the site, according to the spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders-Association, Rwang Tengwong.
Tengwong, in a statement issued on Saturday, condemned the attack and expressed concern over the growing insecurity confronting residents of vulnerable communities and rural areas.
He said the latest incident had left members of the affected community grieving and living in fear, while urging security agencies to take concrete steps to prevent further attacks.
According to him, authorities should identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings rather than merely expressing concern after each incident.
“Such measures are necessary to prevent further loss of life and restore residents’ confidence in their safety,” Tengwong said.
He added that the incident should not be treated as another statistic, urging authorities to take decisive action to protect communities and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
The Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Alabo Alfred, was unavailable for comment as of press time. Messages sent to him had not been answered.
The latest attack comes amid previous reports of violence targeting miners in the state.
On June 16, Peoples Gazette reported that five miners were killed at a mining site in Gero village, Gyel district of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
