By Kazeem Waris
Gunmen on Friday night attacked a busy vegetable market in Mangu town, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing three persons and leaving several others injured.
The attack occurred at about 8:00 p.m. as traders and buyers were preparing to close for the day, triggering panic and a stampede as people fled the market in different directions.
President of the Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), Bulus Dabit, who confirmed the incident, said the gunmen opened fire on a vehicle leaving the vegetable market, killing two women and a young man.
Dabit said the identities of the victims were yet to be established, adding that several passers-by sustained serious injuries and were being referred to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for treatment.
He said, “At about 8 p.m. on Friday, gunmen shot several times at a vehicle leaving the vegetable market in Mangu, killing two women and a young man.
“The names of the victims are not known yet. Several passers-by were seriously injured and are being referred to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for treatment.”
Another resident, John Haruna, who confirmed the incident, said several people were injured during the attack.
According to him, the sudden gunfire caused panic among traders, buyers and passers-by, who ran in different directions in an attempt to escape, resulting in additional injuries.
Dabit condemned the attack and called on security agencies to deploy intelligence and technology to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
He said, “Security agencies must leverage intelligence and technology to apprehend the perpetrators of these dastardly acts, as they would not be far from the scene of the crime.”
The latest attack came hours after the MDA raised concerns over alleged continued threats to communities in Mangu Local Government Area.
The association claimed that more than 750 Mwaghavul people had been killed in attacks since 2023.
In a press statement issued on Friday and signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Friday Derwam, following a joint meeting of its national executive, women’s and youth leadership, the association called for an immediate investigation into the recent killings in the area.
