Plateau State Buries 33 Victims of Shonong Attack

A mass burial was on Tuesday held for the 33 victims of the attack in Shonong village in Bachit District of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. The deceased, most of whom were burnt beyond recognition were buried amidst wailing and weeping by friends, sympathizers and family members.



The Plateau state government has condemned the attack describing it as barbaric and urging theNigerian police to fish out the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, Mr. Segun Olulade,spokesperson for the Lagos State House of Assembly and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, has blamed the Federal Government for the attack.

Olulade said, "The attacks being carried out in affected areas of Plateau are not too different from that of Boko Haram insurgents. Gunmen often troop into villages, numbering hundreds and start shooting sporadically in commando-like manner, mostly while innocent people were asleep or have gone to farm, leaving hundreds of people dead and their houses burnt to ashes".

It is important to note that the the Special Task Force,STF and the Plateau state Police Command put the casualty number at 16, however 33 persons who died in the attack were reportedly buried yesterday. The late intervention and wrong calculation of the amount of casualties by security operatives sends shudders through the Nigerian populace. Why is there a Special Task Force positioned in Plateau state if they cannot protect the lives and properties of innocent Nigerians? . How could an attack rage on for over 3 hours before security forces could intervene?