From Jude Dangwam, Jos

The Founder of Calvary Ministries also known as CAPRO, Rev. Adebayo Famolure and his family were attacked Monday night by a heavily armed men suspected to be ‘Fulani herdsmen’ in Barkin-Ladi local government area of Plateau State.

Rev. Famolure and family who survived the attack said the attackers numbering eight were “Fulani” who stomped their resident at the Mission Centre in Gana Ropp area of Barkin-Ladi and shot at him, his wife and two kids.

All the members of the family were receiving treatment in the hospital at the time of this report.

DAILY ASSET gathered that the intruders who came in numbers armed with weapons ran away after a swift response by security personnel, who came to the aid of the family, but met the victims in the pool of their blood.

The Clergyman was earlier on asked while at the Barkin-Ladi General Hospital, where himself and his two children were admitted while his wife was rushed to JUTH on how the incident happened.

“When we were having a devotion at about 8:40 pm last night, Fulani attacked us, shot me right on my forehead at close range, my wife was shot on her back, two other family members were also affected as you can see them lying, pointing at them on their bed.
“I am very okay, yes I was shot in the head but bullet didn’t enter; Its a Miracle, they shot me at my feet but missed the bones, I just praise God.”

Speaking on the condition of his two children and wife, he said, “Mummy was referred to JUTH, she is stable but with a bullet in her back, Adua and Victor were shot in the feet but are both responding to treatment and talking. Thanks for your love and concern,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Pastor’s Adua who also responded while on bed at the hospital said , “I wish not to say anything since security agents are investigating the incident. However, we were attacked by three armed Fulani, one of them held a rifle while the two others carried sticks.”
DAILY ASSET learned that Rev. Adebayo has lived in Plateau State for over 40 years and has a Mission Centre at Gana-Ropp village of Barkin-Ladi, where natives and Fulani people living in the area often attend the primary and secondary school he built free of charge.

It was also gathered that after one of the attacks on Gana Ropp village of Barkin-Ladi, where the entire community was pulled down by Fulani herdsmen some years back, the Pastor influenced the rebuilding of 30 houses free for natives of the area.

The sad development is coming shortly after the Special Task Force maintaining peace on the Plateau, part of Bauchi and Southern Kaduna, swiftly responded to the attack in Miango and Kwall villages of Bassa LGA following the killings of five youths in Irigwe Chiefdom and forestalled the escalation of the trouble to other parts of the state.

The STF Media Officer, Major Ibrahim Shittu, who spoke to DAILY ASSET said, the Command has since visited the communities, and has called on the parties through their community leaders to live in peace with one another. 

He pledged that “Operation SAFE HAVE remained commitment to the protection of lives and property of people across its Joint Operation Area, I promise to hunt down the criminals. I will still appeal to the general public to always provide credible and timely information to the security agencies,” he advised.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Plateau State Command, ASP Gabriel Ubah also confirming the incident said “four persons inside a car driving  home were attacked by unknown gunmen  and three died at the spot while one was rushed to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment.
“The CP has deployed men to the affected area to ensure that the area is calm meanwhile investigation is on to arrest the perpetrators of the act.”

The PPRO however, debunked reports that a Mosque was destroyed in the recent incident in Kwall District of Irigwe Chiefdom.

“Mosque  was not destroyed, its only the fence of the Mosque that was broken down by angry youths but were stopped by the security men deployed to the area” he expalined.

Youth leader in Miango, Mr. Lawrence Zongo told DAILY ASSET that the event happened on Sunday at about 9pm where four persons were ambushed and attacked, while one was assassinated.

“Last night (Sunday) 9:30pm, Four youths were ambushed and killed, while the fifth person was assassinated. There was no eyewitness to identify the suspected killers, they were ambushed on their way home from Kwall to Miango in Adu village Kwall district.

“After an hour later, Abdulahi Yusuf was assassinated in Miango town inside his house. The four youths were Friday Musa 25, Chohu Gado 27, Emmanuel Kure 22, both died immediately,  while Tanta Abba 27, gave up in the hospital,” he disclosed.