Gunmen have attacked a mining site in the Kuru community of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing seven persons.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, was said to have left several others injured.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Artisanal Mining, Emmanuel Solomon, confirmed the attack to PUNCH Online in Jos on Thursday.
“I have just been informed about the attack in the Kuru community which happened yesterday night. Seven people died in the attack.
I’m about to go to the community to see things by myself,” Solomon said.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, he lamented that it was the latest in a series of attacks on miners in the area.
Solomon recalled that in Gyel community, also in Jos South, gunmen recently attacked three persons heading to a mining site, killing two.
“Just before yesterday, in another community in Gyel, they attacked three people, but one of them escaped.
Unfortunately, two died.
The victims were on their way to a mining site when they were ambushed and killed,” he stated.
He further disclosed that about two weeks ago, another group of miners was ambushed, leaving two dead and one injured.
According to him, the injured victim is currently receiving treatment at Lome Hospital.
“The one injured is currently at Lome Hospital receiving treatment, and the one who died is my younger brother.
It’s unfortunate that some people are just moving about killing innocent people in the state,” Solomon added.
He called for urgent intervention, assuring that the state government would look into the attacks to ensure improved security for miners.
When contacted, the Jos South Area Commander of the Nigerian Forest Security Service, Pam Gyang Pwajok, said he was not aware of the incident.
“Let me find out what happened. I will get back to you,” he said.
Efforts to reach the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, were unsuccessful as his phone line was switched off at the time of filing this report.
The latest attack has heightened concerns over the safety of artisanal miners in Plateau State, amid renewed calls for stronger security presence in mining communities across Jos South.