"There he was soaked in blood, with gunshots on his body" - Wife of pharmacist killed by gunmen in Plateau, recounts her ordeal

11 people including a chief pharmacist in JUTH, James Gyang Tiri, were shot dead by unknown gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, in Lopandet, Dwei village of Du district in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State last Sunday. 

It was gathered that the gunmen stormed the area in military uniforms. They drove in a Hilux vehicle and about four power-bikes, carrying three people each.

Those in the Hilux shot sporadically with sophisticated riffles, while the two occupants of the power-bikes (apart from the riders) also shot indiscriminately.

The panic-stricken people of the area scampered for safety, causing pandemonium. Apart from members of the communities that were caught in the fire, many passerby and travellers, including late Tiri, were also affected.

The next morning people began to collect the corpses of the dead from the roadside, shops and other places. Twelve others also suffered varying degrees of injury.

Those injured were rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hopsital (JUTH) and the Plateau State Specialist Hospital (PSSH).

Recounting her ordeal to Daily Trust, Victoria, wife of late Gyang Tiri, (pictured with brother-in-law)  said:

“My husband called me around 7pm on that fateful day, saying that he was on his way from Gindiri and was already at a place called Bisichi. I was at home waiting for him with the children. When I didn’t see him I called him throughout the night but his phone was switched off. In the morning, somebody called me, saying that my husband was involved in an accident but he was okay and I should come and take him home. So I took my kids in my car and went there. On getting there I saw so many people and cars on the road and I was wondering what was happening.

“I stepped out of my car and called the number that earlier called me, and the person said I should wait for him at a particular gate. When I got to the gate, I heard some women discussing, and one of them said, ‘One of the victims is even a pharmacist.’ I shouted and began running back to where the crowd was, but someone grabbed me from the back. It was the person that called me. He was telling me sorry for the loss and that I should take heart. I told him to stop consoling me and tell me what happened. He then narrated everything to me. I freed myself from his grip after that, pulled myself together and went to his car.

“He was there soaked in blood, with gunshots on his body. I broke down and began crying. My children too were crying and shouting. The two eldest ones are old enough to know what was happened, while the little one was saying, ‘Mummy is crying. Who beat you mummy? Stop crying, you hear…’

“I didn’t know that my husband was dead, otherwise I wouldn’t have taken my children there because such sight isn’t good for them. It could remain evergreen in their minds and haunt them forever,’ she narrated.

She said she was so devastated that she gave her phone to someone else to call his brothers and/colleagues in the office, who later came and took his corpse to the JUTH mortuary. According to her, his car was driven back home by one of his brothers while someone drove hers and brought her back home with her children.

She said her husband’s phone and wallet were not found, noting that she was told the attackers or community members searched all the dead persons and made away with their phones and money.

“The annoying part of it is that the government is silent about all these killings. My husband is not the first. In his village, most of his relatives have been killed. Many people in other villages too have been killed, yet the government is not saying anything. Let the government put an end to these killings,’’ Victoria said.

The deceased’s elder brother, Pam Gyang Tiri, berated the role of security agents in the incident. He alleged that as they were getting to the scene to pick their brother’s corpse, they met some policemen nearby in about four Hilux vans and they said they didn’t know the scene of the incident. He said their attitude left much to be desired, adding that he later discovered that the place was close to where the police were.

He said the incident happened in the district of the immediate past governor of the state and senator representing Jos North, Jonah Jang. It is also the area where Buken Academy, a school belonging to Gbong Gwon Jos and former comptroller-general of customs, Jacob Gyang Buba, is located.

Confirming the attack, the Police Public Relations Officer, Plateau State command, DSP Tyopev Terna, said that when they received a distress call that unknown gunmen were attacking Lopandet Dwei, the command immediately mobilised its personnel to the scene, but on arrival, they discovered that people had already been killed.

“The victims were immediately rushed to the JUTH and Plateau Specialist Hospital. Eleven persons have been confirmed dead by doctors while 12 were wounded and are now on admission. More security personnel have been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks on the community,’’ he said, adding that investigation into the crime was ongoing,” he said.