At least three people, including two palace administrators, were abducted while several houses were set ablaze on Wednesday evening when bandits attacked Bunyun community in the Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area, Plateau State.
The assault came just four days after a similar attack in the area where vigilantes were reportedly killed and homes destroyed.
Speaking to DAILY GAZETTE, Abdulbari’u Muhammad, the paramount ruler of Bunyun, confirmed the incident.
He said that two senior palace officials, the Waziri and the Wakili, along with his younger brother, were abducted.
According to the traditional leader, the attackers struck at around 7:30 p.m., firing indiscriminately as they stormed the community.
“The bandits stormed the community in large numbers, riding on motorcycles. They looted valuable items, including food, clothes, motorcycles, and other goods,” Muhammad said.
He linked the assault to a recent confrontation between local vigilantes and bandits that took place on Sunday.
The monarch, who has since fled to Bashar town for safety, said many residents had also abandoned their homes following the raid.
“We are completely confused and don’t know what to do, which is why we fled to Bashar. Everybody has fled because people are afraid to remain in the area,” he said.
Muhammad also expressed concern over the impact on farming activities, stressing the urgent need for government intervention.
“The residents, who are mainly farmers, have already planted their crops. We need the government to deploy enough security personnel to the area to enable them to continue farming and secure their livelihoods,” he appealed.
Another resident, Abubakar Zubairu, corroborated the account, saying the community was virtually empty by Thursday morning.
He added that he had also sought refuge in Bashar, fearing further attacks.
Our correspondent reports that several women and children were seen fleeing the community with belongings on their heads.
As at the time of filing this report, the spokesperson for Operation Safe Haven, Major Samson Zhakom, had not responded to calls or a text message.
