By Stephen Simon
Nine people, including a commercial bus driver, were killed when gunmen attacked a passenger vehicle at Dungus Junction in Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 9:40pm on Sunday as the bus was heading towards Jos.
The only survivor of the attack, identified as Nasiru Garba, the bus conductor, said he narrowly escaped death by taking cover inside the vehicle when the attackers opened fire.
Garba explained that the bus had pulled over to drop off five passengers before the driver stepped out to collect fares.
According to him, the driver later returned to the vehicle and opened the door to get back inside when the gunmen suddenly began shooting.
He said the attackers targeted both the passengers who had alighted and those who remained inside the bus.
“All the passengers that had already alighted, the remaining passengers in the bus, and the driver died,” Garba recounted.
The conductor said he immediately crouched inside the bus after hearing the gunshots. The assailants reportedly entered the vehicle and searched it but failed to notice that he was hiding inside.
Garba said the attackers took the cash he had collected as well as his mobile phone, which was plugged in to charge.
“They didn’t talk while carrying out the act and I didn’t look at their faces,” he said.
He disclosed that he had only begun working on the route recently, noting that the attack happened on his fourth day on the job.
Confirming the incident, Rwang Tengwong, spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders, said the gunmen opened fire on the bus at Dungus Junction while it was conveying passengers to Jos.
Tengwong said one of the victims was a member of Operation Rainbow, while several others sustained gunshot wounds.
He described the incident as a tragic development and said some of the injured victims were rushed to hospitals for medical attention.
According to him, however, some of those who initially survived the shooting later died from their injuries.
A resident of the area, Musa Dauda, also confirmed the incident, saying the bus was later discovered with multiple bullet holes and blood stains.
The attack was among a series of violent incidents reported in different parts of Plateau State on Sunday night.
At Vodni in the Pushit District of Mangu Local Government Area, two people were reportedly killed, while another two people lost their lives at Tahoos in Riyom Local Government Area.
Four other victims of the Mangu attack were reportedly injured and taken to a hospital in Mangu town for treatment.
Reacting to the incidents, the Plateau State Government condemned the killings in Kuru and Mangu, describing them as deeply troubling.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, the government said it was collaborating with security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to improve security across the state.
The government urged residents in affected communities to remain alert and promptly provide security agencies with credible information that could assist in preventing further attacks and apprehending those responsible.
It also cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands or engaging in reprisal attacks, warning that such actions could escalate the situation and undermine peace efforts.
The government reiterated its commitment to prioritising peace and security under Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
