Fear as gunmen kill pastor, wife, children in fresh Plateau attack
Gunmen Attack Gako Village, Killing Pastor and Family Members
GAKO VILLAGE, Plateau State — Tensions escalated in Gako Village, located in the Riyom Local Government Area, late Sunday night when gunmen carried out a deadly attack, resulting in the deaths of a pastor and three members of his family.
The victims have been identified as Rev. Ayuba Choji, aged 45, his wife, Chundung Ayuba, 42, and their two children, Cyril Ayuba, 12, and Endurance Ayuba, 8.
According to witnesses, the assailants invaded the village around 11 p.m., firing and causing residents to flee in panic. Community member Martha Dalyop described the scene, stating that the gunmen shot indiscriminately, instilling fear among villagers. “People are scared and cannot even sleep in their homes or tend to their farms,” she said.
Rwang Tengwong, publicity secretary of the Berom Youths Moulder Association, confirmed the attack and highlighted a troubling pattern. He noted that the assailants have increasingly targeted leisure areas, farming communities, and local vigilantes protecting rural regions.
Tengwong described the tactics used by the gunmen, who often operate in groups, dividing their efforts between attacking residents and destroying farmlands, while others surveil or block roads to hinder escape or assistance.
In the last 48 hours, attacks in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, have severely impacted local agriculture, with significant destruction to cabbage, hot pepper, and maize crops. This trend exacerbates the challenges faced by farmers in the region.
