Gunmen kill three, injure many in Plateau market attack

Gunmen on Friday night attacked a vegetable market in Mangu town in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing three people and injuring several others.

The President of the Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), Bulus Dabit, said the attackers opened fire on a vehicle leaving the market at about 8 p.m., killing two women and a young man.

The attack occurred as traders and buyers were preparing to close for the day, triggering panic and forcing people to flee in different directions.

Many people were reportedly injured in the ensuing stampede.

Mr Dabit said the identities of the three victims were not immediately known, adding that those seriously injured were referred to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

“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,” he said.

Another source, John Haruna, said the sudden gunfire caused panic at the market, with people running in different directions in an attempt to escape.

Mr Dabit condemned the attack.

“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,” he said.

The attack came hours after the MDA raised concerns over continued threats to communities in Mangu.

In a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Friday Derwam, following a joint meeting of the association’s national executive, women’s leadership and youth leadership, the association called for an immediate investigation into recent killings in the local government area.

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The group also claimed that more than 750 Mwaghavul people had been killed in attacks since 2023.

The latest attack adds to the security concerns in Mangu, which has witnessed repeated attacks and communal violence in recent years.

As of the time of filing this report, the police had not issued an official statement on the incident.