Rev. Nichodemus Kim, a pastor of the Church of Christ in Nation, and 20 other people were slain on Sunday, June 11, in coordinated shootings that took place in four settlements in the Plateau state local governments of Riyom and Barkin Ladi.
Rev. Kim was slain in the Gana-Ropp neighborhood of Barkin Ladi, according to the national publicity secretary of the Berom Youth Movement, Rwang Tengwong, who made this claim in a statement released in Jos on Tuesday, June 13. Other deaths were claimed in the Rim, Jol, and Kwi communities of Riyom, according to The PUNCH.
Tengwong continued, “Numerous people sustained injuries of varying severity, and scores of people were displaced as a result of the attacks.”
He said:
“Twenty-one persons were killed and several others injured on Sunday during coordinated attacks by militias on residents of Rim, Jol, Kwi communities of Riyom as well as Gana-Ropp community in Barkin Ladi
“Two persons were killed at Rim, Seven at Jol, 11 at Kwi, all in Riyom, while a clergyman, Rev. Nichodemus Kim, was killed in Gana-Ropp Barkin Ladi
“The attacks on Rim, Jol and Kwi were simultaneously coordinated and held between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday.
“In Kwi, an entire community, Hei-gwe, was razed and over 100 farmlands destroyed.”
Tengwong called on the state and federal governments to address the insecurity situation in the state.He said:
“We call on the new administration, both at the federal and state levels, to come up with new strategies to address the security situation in the country and particularly in Plateau.
“Security personnel must also wake up to their statutory responsibilities to safeguard lives and property.
“BYM equally calls on the Berom nation to remain calm and law abiding, but they must explore every avenue to defend their communities, as we cannot sit and watch while they kill us one after another.”
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who confirmed the killings assured Plateaus residents that his administration is committed to tackling the insecurity challenges facing the state.
In a statement issued by Gyang Bere, his Director of Press and Public Affairs, the governor said:
“Let me assure the people that we are retooling the security apparatus of the state and by the special grace of God, we will have a secured Plateau.”
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alabo Alfred, could not be reached to comment on the tragic incidents.