Police confirm 11 persons killed in attacks on communities

The Police Command in Plateau has confirmed the killing of 11 persons in attacks on Razat, Ruku, Nyarr, Kura and Gana-Ropp villages of Gashish District in Barkin Ladi Local Government.

Also hit were Daffo and Kuba communities in Bokkos Local Government.

Mr Terna Tyopev, the command’s spokesman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos that many other villages were hit by the gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

“The gunmen invaded the villages on Saturday and killed several people. Based on the number of corpses recovered and buried, we can confirm 11 killed,” he said.

He said, however, that more people might have died because many families had buried their dead relatives before the Policemen arrived,” he said.

Tyopev said that some dead bodies had been deposited at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) mortuary, adding that security had been beefed up in affected villages to restore peace.

Capt. Umar Adams, spokesman of `Operation Safe Haven’, the military task force maintaining peace in Plateau, who also spoke on the attacks, described them as “unfortunate”.

“We are aware of the unfortunate attacks, but I cannot confirm how many people were killed,” he told NAN.

Meanwhile, Gov Simon Lalong has charged security agencies to double their efforts toward ending the persistent attacks on rural communities in the state.

A statement signed by Mr Yakubu Dati, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, said that the governor rushed to the state on Sunday, cutting short his participation in the ongoing All Progressives Convention (APC) convention holding in Abuja.

It quoted Lalong as describing the incessant attacks as “devastating”.“The governor has directed security agencies to end the attacks and apprehend the assailants.

He has also challenged them to be proactive so as to restore stability to Plateau,” the statement said.It further quoted Lalong as commiserating with families of the victims and promising to settle the bills of those injured and in hospitals.