Three soldiers shot dead as farmers, herders clash in Plateau

At least three operatives of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), a military task force in Plateau state, were killed while trying to restore calm between herders and farmers in the state on Saturday.

Augustine Agundu, commander of the force, disclosed this to reporters in Jos, the state capital.

He vowed that those behind the tragic incident would be brought to book.

“I have lost three men, they were killed in action as a result of this circle of violence that has resurfaced,” he said.

“The worst of it is that the proliferation of arms in Plateau is out of magnitude.

“I have locked down Barkin-ladi, this act will never repeat itself. We have made efforts to reconcile the warring factions but they have remained adamant.

My troops have resolved to end the on going hostilities in Ryiom, Barkin-Ladi and Bassa LGA’s.

“The message I am sending to all level of leadership is to get their youths to decorum and civility so that the ordinary man and woman in the community could live peacefully. We are determined to return Plateau to its slogan of Home of Peace and Tourism.”

The development comes less than 24 hours after Solomon Dalung, minister of sport, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency on Plateau and other states affected by widespread killings.

Efforts of government to put the killings in check have not yielded the desired result.