Jos crisis: Family of 8 killed •As Christians desert places of worship

TRAGEDY struck in the early hours of Sunday in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, when a group of bandits suspected to be Fulani, snuffed life out of a family of eight in a midnight raid at Tatu village of Heipang district of the council.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the  incident occurred at about 2.00 a.m. on Sunday when the marauders, armed with sophisticated weapons, numbering about 30, sneaked into the village and attacked members of the Chollom Gyang family who were  sleeping.
It was learnt that the assailants forced their way into the premises of the Gyang family, shot them at a close range and also butchered them to be sure that they were dead before they bolted away.
In the raid, the bread winner of the family, Mr Chollom Gyang, his wife and  six children in the family were brutally killed while the only surviving person was the fourth child of the family, who was away when the assailants called.
Speaking with newsmen on the situation, the chairman,  Barkin Ladi Local Government,  Mr Emmanuel Loman, called on the Federal Government to investigate activities of the military deployed to restore peace to the state, adding that many of them were compromising their professional calling.
Mr Loman said if nothing was done to arrest the incessant attacks perceived to be aided by the security operatives, the people might be forced to rise up to defend themselves, adding that the frequent attacks called for proper investigation.
He said both the people and authorities of the council had complained to the appropriate authorities over the alleged stockpilling of arms in Manchang Village within the local government area, adding that despite repeated complaints, nothing had been done.
In a related development,  many Christians in the city of Jos, on Sunday, stayed away from churches, following a rumour that some Muslim youths planned to attack places of worship in retaliation for the crisis that characterised Sallah celebration in the state capital.
Nigerian Tribune correspondent noticed in Jos on Sunday that only few people came out for Sunday service after going round the city of Jos, while stern-looking security men were drafted to virtually all the churches within the metropolis to ward off any attack on the worshippers.
Meanwhile, Jama’tu Nasril Islam and the Council of Ulama Plateau State have set up a committee, “Central Security Committee of JNI and Ulama” to mediate among the warring youth in the state.
Addressing newsmen in Jos, the chairman of the committee, Alhaji Aminu Abdulmalik, said the committee had met with Muslim youths and impressed it on them the need to allow security agencies to do their work without any molestation.
According to him, one of the results of the committee’s efforts was the successful persuasion of the Muslim youth to sheathe their swords on the plan to attack Christians worshippers on Sunday.