At least eight Kaduna State travellers were killed in Friday’s mob violence in Mangun District of Mangu Local Government Area; Plateau State’s Executive Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has denounced the attack.
The victims were among a group of 31 people from the Basawa community in Zaria, Kaduna State, according to an earlier report by Naijatrial.
The group was attacked by a mob after getting off an 18-seater bus heading from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria to Qua’an Pan Local Government Area for a wedding ceremony. They had become disoriented and stopped to enquire for directions.
Governor Mutfwang conveyed his profound sadness over the attack during his visit to the scene of the tragedy and to survivors getting treatment at Mangu General Hospital. It was “utterly condemnable and avoidable,” he said, adding that the victims were innocent commuters stranded in a dangerous neighbourhood fighting off ongoing terrorist threats.
Here in Plateau State, we are mourning a devastating loss today. Such an irrational act of violence could never have happened within our borders, he remarked. It is unacceptable for the same young people who have helped with our security operations to end up doing jungle justice. We will not ignore this because it is unacceptable.
The people and government of Kaduna State, as well as the Zazzau Emirate, were his first and foremost recipients of his condolences. Additionally, he shared the news that a high-level delegation will be sent to Kaduna to express condolences to the relatives of the victims.
In addition to urging security authorities to conduct thorough investigations and bring those responsible to justice, Governor Mutfwang ordered that all injured victims receive complete medical care at the expense of the government.