Gunmen have reportedly killed five miners and injured two others during an attack on a mining site in Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The attack reportedly happened at about 1pm on Saturday when the assailants opened fire on people at the mining site.

Spokesman of the Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM), Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the incident, saying the latest killings had again thrown the affected communities into mourning.

“Five persons were killed while two others sustained injuries in the attack. It is a very sad and painful development. Our people are once again mourning the loss of lives to violence,” Tengwong said.

He called for urgent security intervention to prevent further attacks and protect residents of vulnerable communities.

“We condemn this attack and call on the security agencies to urgently take steps to protect our communities and prevent further attacks.”

A resident of the community, Simon Mundat, also confirmed that five people lost their lives while two others suffered injuries.

“We are deeply saddened by this attack. Five people have been killed and two others injured. This is a very painful situation for the community. We appeal to the authorities to strengthen security in the area so that our people can go about their legitimate activities without fear,” he said.

As of the time the report emerged, spokesman for Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Polycarp Oteh, and the Plateau State Police Command spokesman, SP Alabo Alfred, had not responded to inquiries about the incident.

The attack occurred days after the Plateau State Government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on three local government areas, including Barkin Ladi, following a series of violent incidents.

Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Joyce Ramnap, had in a statement on Friday condemned the violence and appealed to residents to remain calm and obey the law.

In another security incident in the state, security personnel and local hunters reportedly stopped a suspected terrorist attack on Latok community in Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area.

A community member, Danat Noel, said the security team confronted the attackers shortly after responding to the threat.

“Security operatives, supported by local hunters, responded swiftly and engaged the attackers, forcing them to withdraw in disarray,” Noel said.

The incidents add to security concerns in Plateau State, where several communities have faced attacks and killings in recent weeks.