A pastor has been killed while two worshippers sustained serious injuries after Fulani militias launched a deadly attack on a Plateau community.
The victim, identified simply as Pastor Philibus, was attacked alongside members of his congregation as the assailants stormed the church, leaving two worshippers critically injured.
The latest assault came amid renewed concerns over escalating violence in Plateau communities where gunmen daily kill innocent residents.
It was gathered that the attack occurred on Thursday night in Fubok village, Daffo District of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Confirming the incident on Friday, a conflict journalist said the attackers struck a nearby settlement where the church is located and murdered the pastor.
“Terrorists reportedly invaded Fubok late in the evening yesterday, leaving a pastor dead and two of his members critically injured,” Usman said.
Meanwhile, hours before the violence, President of the Berom Youth-Moulders Association, Solomon Mwantiri, had issued a public security alert warning residents of intelligence pointing to an imminent attack around the Dorowa Babuje axis.
“There are reports of an impending attack around Dorowa Babuje. For your safety, travellers coming from Jos to Mangu, and those intending to use the Dorowa Babuje axis, are strongly advised to suspend their journey and remain in a safe location until the area is declared safe by security agencies,” he warned.
Mwantiri also urged security agencies to immediately deploy personnel to the threatened communities to protect lives and restore order.
“We also call on the relevant security agencies to respond immediately to protect innocent lives and restore normalcy.
“Please remain calm, avoid sharing unverified information, and prioritise your safety,” he added.
However, despite the alert and warning, the Fulani militias went on to carry out their attack, leading to the death of the pastor and the critical injury to two congregational members.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no confirmation of the attack from the Plateau state police command.