Police say 16 killed in Plateau attacks — but community leaders say 25 buried

The Plateau police have said 16 persons were killed in the multiple attacks on several villages between Wednesday, March 7, and Friday, March 9.

Terna Tyopev, the command’s spokesman, confirmed this to NAN on Sunday in Jos.

However, leaders of the affected communities have said 25 people were killed in the attacks.

The community leaders, who briefed journalists on Sunday in Jos, said many others were still missing.

Represented by Mamot Adams and Macham Makut, the community said the bodies of those killed were recovered and given two mass burials – one on Friday, and another on Saturday.

The community leaders blamed the attacks on “our Fulani neighbours” and listed villages attacked to include Nghakudung, Shilim, Morok, Mandung, Faram, Filla and Hotom.

Also attacked were Dai, Kungul, Hurum, Dahua, Malul, Warrem, Josho and Ganda.

They said more than 5,000 people had been displaced, adding that some of them were in camps run by churches.

They called on security agencies to intervene toward halting the attacks so as to restore permanent peace to the communities.

“We want government to take urgent steps to end the attacks because our youths are already agitated,” he said.

Tyopev said the command has also arrested a herdsman with a military AK 47 rifle in Daffo, Bokkos local government area of the state.

He said Muhammadu Musa Bimini, the herdsman, was arrested by mobile policemen on March 8, at Daffo.

Tyopev said the suspect had been transferred from Bokkos to the state criminal investigation department (CID) in Jos and was already being interrogated.

He said the command had deployed more personnel to restore peace to the troubled areas.