Tragedy struck again in Plateau State as suspected gunmen reportedly killed at least 13 persons during a fresh attack on Ngbra Zongo community in Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, left the community in panic, with several residents sustaining varying degrees of injuries.
A resident, Mr. Philip Alanga, told journalists in Jos that the assailants stormed the community around midnight, shooting sporadically before attacking residents with machetes and other dangerous weapons.
According to him, the attackers moved from house to house, targeting innocent residents and leaving behind a trail of destruction.
“They came into the community around midnight and started shooting and hacking people to death. They moved from one house to another, attacking innocent people,” Alanga said.
He added that many residents fled into nearby bushes to escape the violence, while several injured victims were rushed for medical treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Secretary General of the Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Mr. Danjuma Auta, described the attack as barbaric, 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 intensify surveillance and provide adequate protection for vulnerable rural communities.
He also urged security operatives to swiftly arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings in order to prevent further bloodshed in the area.
Efforts to get an official reaction from the police proved unsuccessful, as calls to the command’s spokesperson were not answered as of press time.
