FOLLOWING the gruesome killing of eight people at a beer parlour in
Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday night, the
death toll from the incident has increased to 10, while women in the
local government area trooped out on Tuesday to protest the killing.
Even
as the people in the area have alleged that the act was perpetuated by
some men in uniform in a Toyota Hilux van belonging to the Special Task
Force in charge of security in the state, the STF has, however, denied
involvement of his men.
According to a statement issued by the
Special Task Force, signed by its Media Officer, Captain Salisu Mustapha
which was made available to Nigerian Tribune in Jos, the attack took
place at about 8.30 p.m. on Monday when some unknown gunmen stormed a
beer parlour christened “S.K Beer Parlour” at Hiepang in Barkin-Ladi
Local Government Area of the state.
According to the statement,
the gunmen opened fire indiscriminately on customers and killed eight
people on the spot, while two others later died at the hospital as a
result of gunshot wounds.
Miffed by the incident, inhabitants of
the local government, mostly women trooped out on Tuesday to protest the
attack, alleging that those who carried out the act were in military
uniform and came in a Hilux van belonging to the Special Task Force.
A
cross section of the protesters who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune
alleged that one of those who carried out the killings was apprehended
and is now receiving treatment at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital.
When
Nigerian Tribune called at the Specialist Hospital, there was a
pandemonium when those who thronged the hospital to catch a glimpse of
the arrested culprit confronted some policemen who came to ascertain if
the man was actually one of them.
Responding to the allegation
that those who carried out the act came in a Hilux van belonging to the
STF, the Media officer of the Force, Captain Salisu Mustapha, denied the
involvement of the STF in the killing, adding that none of his men was
involved “in such uncivilised act.”
Meanwhile, the chairman,
Management Committee of Barkin Ladi Local Government Council, Honourable
Emmanuel Loma, has called on the Chief of Defence Staff to investigate
alleged involvement of men of the Special Task Force in killings around
the council area.
Speaking with newsmen over the latest killings
in the area, the chairman said those within the vicinity of the attack
confirmed that some people in a Hilux van carried out the killing.
According
to him, in the process, one Corporal Salisu Gidado, a mobile policeman
attached to the Special Task Force who wore the same jalabiya dress with
the attackers was identified by survivors.
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