Yemi Kosoko in Jos
No fewer than four traders were feared killed on Monday after suspected hoodlums ambushed a group of six shoe sellers travelling from the Gangare area of Jos to Pankshin Local Government Area for business.
The attack occurred before the traders reached Mangu Hale in Mangu Local Government Area, where the assailants reportedly intercepted them at gunpoint.
The incident immediately heightened tension across parts of Jos, prompting the deployment of security personnel to forestall unrest and maintain order.
Confirming the development, Suleiman Abubakar, an official of the Traders and Marketers Association, Jos Main Market branch, said the victims were attacked while on their way to the weekly market.
“Four out of the six traders from Gangare, Jos, going to Pankshin were attacked and killed. Two of them escaped, and we have spoken with them,” Abubakar said.
News of the killings triggered anxiety within the Gangare community, with residents expressing fear of possible reprisals. Security operatives have since been stationed in the area to prevent further escalation.
Government sources disclosed that authorities intervened to prevent the corpses from being transported back to Jos for burial, citing concerns that such movement could inflame tensions in the city. The victims were subsequently buried in Barkin Ladi in accordance with Islamic rites.
Security agencies are yet to issue an official statement on the attack, but investigations are said to be ongoing.
