Youths in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday blocked the highway leading to Jos to protest the killing of community members by gunmen who attacked the area on Sunday.

The youths, who were joined by women and other sympathisers, have refused all entreaties to vacate the road and have vowed to remain there until the perpetrators of the attack are apprehended and punished according to the law.

One of the protesters, Samson Godiya, lamenting the situation, said, “We have suffered as a community for too long in the hands of these attackers whom we know to be Fulani herdsmmen.For how long shall we continue to be killed without anything being done to stop them .

“We can not continue like this. We are tired of promises by the government and security agents to protect us. If they can not live up to their promises, they should leave us alone .A situation where the security people will be there and at the same time ,can not stop the killers from having their way is what we can not understand ”

The death toll in the latest wave of violent attacks in the community had risen to 10, following the recovery of additional bodies from affected communities in Barkin Ladi on Monday.

The attack, which occurred on Sunday evening in Barkin Ladi LGA, is part of a growing security challenge in the state, where several communities have been repeatedly targeted by gunmen, leading to significant loss of life and displacement of residents.

A community leader with the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the recovery of the bodies to PUNCH Online in Jos on Monday.

Tengwong said, “Yesterday evening, seven persons were brutally killed following an attack by armed Fulani Terrorists at Ratatis, Dorowa Babuje in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. The attack occurred at about 7:27 pm, leaving three others seriously injured.

“This morning, two more dead bodies of community members were recovered from Dorowa Babuje, while another person was shot dead in Jol, Riyom local government council of the state.”

Tengwong stated that the victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention, and the injured victims are still recovering.

Our correspondent reports that following the youths’ action, motorists coming from the Shendam and Langtang axis have been stopped from moving to Jos, while those from Jos are waiting to be allowed to move.

Some of the protesters in separate interviews told PUNCH Online that the road would remain blocked, “ those who killed our people are brought to justice ”

When contacted, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alfred Alabo, was unreachable for comment as of the time of filing this report.