President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, BYM, Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, on Tuesday narrowly escaped death after gunmen reportedly ambushed security operatives attached to Operation Rainbow in Plateau State.
DAILY POST learnt that the gunmen killed one security personnel and three civilians in two separate attacks in Rakok community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.
Mwantiri, who confirmed the incident in a statement shared on social media late on Tuesday, said he narrowly escaped being caught up in the incident.
He said the security personnel were attacked along Gagshi Road in the council area as they responded to a distress call but ran into an ambush set up by the terrorists.
Describing the development as an indication that the security situation in the state was taking a bigger dimension despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Bokkos LGAs, Mwantiri said:
“I would have also been involved in that incident if not that God, out of His mercy, saved me.”
Mwantiri, who said he was part of the Operation Rainbow convoy, added that “The insecurity situation is now taking a bigger dimension as the attacks are no longer confined to the night. They are now occurring in broad daylight.”
“This security challenge has entered another level. This thing is taking a bigger dimension. This will not be a night attack again. This will not be even during daytime,” he said, urging security personnel and other relevant authorities not to relent in their efforts to protect lives and property and restore peace to affected communities.
A resident of Rakok community, Lawrence Gyang, who also confirmed the incident to newsmen, said the three persons killed included a man and two women who were on their way to attend the funeral service of two persons murdered the previous day while travelling to Gashish District.
An operative of the Operation Rainbow security outfit, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the team ran into the ambush when they responded to a distress call.
“We experienced an ambush at about 4pm in which a security personnel attached to Operation Rainbow was killed,” he said.
Plateau: BYM President escapes death as gunmen ambush Operation Rainbow, kill four