Fresh fear has gripped Plateau State after another brutal attack claimed the lives of a young couple just days after tough security measures were announced by the government.
Just one day after Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang authorized security forces to use lethal force against anyone caught destroying farmlands, suspected Fulani militants struck again, this time killing a young couple in the Angwan Ishaku community of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses say the victims Iliya Gyang, 30, and his pregnant wife, Grace Iliya, 25 were ambushed on Wednesday evening just as they were about to step into their home after returning from an outing.
According to a neighbor, Juliana Emmanuel, two gunmen on a motorcycle pulled up and opened fire on the couple, killing them instantly on their doorstep.
Emmanuel described the couple as peaceful and well-liked within the community, noting that Grace was heavily pregnant and due to give birth before the end of June or July.
The two also left behind one-year-old twin boys. She called on the government to pursue and bring their killers to justice.
The Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), through its National Publicity Secretary Rwang Tengwong, also confirmed the attack, stating that the assailants were identified as Fulani bandits who arrived on a motorcycle, fired on residents, and escaped.
The group clarified that while Grace died at the scene, her husband Iliya succumbed to his gunshot wounds at the hospital.
Two additional people were also wounded, with their conditions still unclear at the time of the report.
The BYM noted that the attack came just days after security meetings had been held to tackle the ongoing violence in the region.
The group condemned the killings, urged security agencies to ramp up operations in affected communities, and called on the Plateau State Government to extend support to the couple’s now-orphaned children.