BREAKING NEWS: Plateau PDP Senator, Assembly leader die during burial

Senator Gyang Dalyop Datong (Plateau North, PDP) is dead. Datong died while attending a mass burial ceremony today for victims of an attack in his senatorial district. Until his death, he was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health. Also reported to have died is Hon. Gyang Fulani, the Majority  leader of the Plateau state House […]

Senator Gyang Dalyop Datong (Plateau North, PDP) is dead.

Datong died while attending a mass burial ceremony today for victims of an attack in his senatorial district.

Until his death, he was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health.

Also reported to have died is Hon. Gyang Fulani, the Majority  leader of the Plateau state House of Assembly. Hon. Fulani was representing Barkin Ladi constituency.

The cause of their deaths is at present, unclear.

Though earlier reports said Datong and Fulani were killed during an attack Sunday afternoon at the venue of the mass burial, Mr. Ruwang Dantong, the brother of the deceased, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the Senator died after seeing the dead bodies of  his kinsmen killed in an attack on Kakuruk village in  Barikin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.

Ruwang also confirmed the death of Assemblyman Gyang Filani, representing Barikin Ladi constituency in Plateau House of Assembly.

Ruwang said that both  representatives were at the scene of the attack carried out between Friday and Saturday when they started hearing gunshots from another set of attackers.

Shocked by the situation, the duo collapsed and were taken to Barikin Ladi General Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

An unknown number of people were killed when the gunmen launched their attack, shooting indiscriminately.

Earlier reports said the duo were shot dead during an attack sometime after 2pm at the venue of the mass burial of some newly discovered dead victims who were found slain in a church in an attack that had gone by unreported and presumed to have taken place yesterday.

Over 37 people – villagers, aggressors and STF personnel – were reported killed in Barkin Ladi at the weekend in a new cycle of violence between Fulani herdsmen and Berom tribesmen who co-habit the two local government areas. Over 9 villages were attacked by people believed to be Fulani in the raids on Saturday.

Barkin Ladi is about 25 kilometres from the state’s capital, Jos.

Datong won his first election in to the Senate in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. He was previously a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituencies. He was a medical doctor by profession and aside from being the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health he was also a member of such other committees as Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD, Solid Minerals and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Also speaking on the incident in a telephone chat with Daily Trust, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Solomon Enang (PDP, Akwa Ibom North-East) said, “This is very painful, and it points to no direction for our country. But if it points to any direction at all, it is that of hopelessness”.

More details soon.