Over 250 houses set ablaze in plateau village by gunmen

•Over 1500 residents displaced Unknown gunmen have overrun Shonong village in Riyom local government area of Plateau State in an attack spanning three days. Two hundred houses in the village were burnt down and about 1500 residents are now displaced, according to a member of the community, Isaac Kahwun. “The gunmen came as usual and started shooting sporadically to announce their presence,” he said in Jos yesterday. “Residents scampered into the bush for safety. We sent a distress call to the special task force in charge of the village and they only succeeded in driving the gunmen away on the first day of the attacks. “The security agencies advised the villagers to and run to a safer place as they (security agents) do not have the arsenal with which to confront the gunmen should they return. “Given this scenario, all the villagers left their houses and took refuge in neighbouring villages. On Thursday night the gunmen returned and set all the houses ablaze including two churches.” He said some buildings used by the community as warehouse for relief items were looted by the attackers while they set the remaining ones ablaze.