No fewer than 13 persons, including three pregnant women and children, have been killed in another deadly attack by suspected gunmen on Ngbra Zongo community in Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, also left several residents injured as fear and confusion spread across the community.
Residents said the assailants invaded the area around 2am, shooting sporadically before attacking residents with machetes and other dangerous weapons.
A resident, Philip Alanga, said the attackers went from house to house, targeting innocent people and forcing many families to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
He said the gunmen stormed the community in the middle of the night, shooting and hacking residents to death as they moved from one home to another.
Another resident, Chigoji Rocku, disclosed that three pregnant women were among those killed during the attack.The Secretary General of the Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Danjuma Auta, confirmed the incident and described the killings as tragic and condemnable.
Auta lamented the recurring attacks on communities in Bassa Local Government Area and other parts of Plateau State, calling on security agencies to strengthen surveillance and provide adequate protection for vulnerable communities.
He also urged security operatives to arrest those responsible for the killings and ensure they are brought to justice to prevent further attacks.
Asama described the incident as horrific and inhuman, saying the killing of defenceless citizens by terrorists remains unacceptable and a direct assault on peace, security, and the collective conscience of society.
He stressed that the repeated violence against peaceful communities must come to an end.As of the time of filing this report, a mass burial had been conducted for the victims, while those injured were receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
The Plateau State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement confirming the attack.
