gunmen

Twenty-two people were reportedly killed on Thursday in Mavo, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State by gunmen.

According to witnesses, the suspects stormed a Tarok community in Mavo at about2:00 a.m. and killed 22 people, injuring several others.

The state Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe, in a telephone interview, confirmed the attack but could not confirm the casualty figure.

“I have not been fully briefed on the number of deaths in the incident,” he said.

The Wase local government interim administrator, Zakari Haruna, also confirmed the attack but said the violence had been contained. He declined comment on the number of persons killed but said several houses were razed.

A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not officially detailed to do so, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that he counted 22 dead bodies with over 10 houses burnt down by the attackers

A victim of the attack, one Nangak, also narrated: “The attackers came to our village in their hundreds and started shooting sporadically, while we were still asleep.”

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the incident created tension in Wase, headquarters of the council, as youth protesting the killings were attacked by security agents.

Wase has recently been ridden with conflicts between Taroks and Fulanis.

This latest attack came less than 48 hours after gunmen attacked some communities in Riyom Local Government Area, leaving about 30 people dead with no arrest made by security agencies.

Source: Premium Times

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