Bandits, yesterday morning, attacked four villages, Kukawa, Gyanbahu, Dungur and Keram, in Kanam LGA of Plateau State where many people were reportedly killed.
The attack occurred on a day the Plateau State Police Command dispelled rumour making the rounds that bandits have infiltrated Jos and could attack at any moment.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, ASP Ubah Gabriel, in a statement in Jos, said the command had adopted a new strategy toward curbing insecurity in the state.
Adam Musa, a resident of Kukawa, told our correspondent that many were injured while hundreds of people had fled their homes following the attacks.
Musa said the gunmen in separate attacks invaded the villages at about 11am and set many houses on fire.
“Those who lost their lives are many. In fact, it is not about 15 or 20 that were killed. Those killed were many. I cannot give you the figure now because we are still collecting the bodies,” he said.
When contacted, the police spokesman in the state, ASP Ubah Gabriel, promised to get back to our correspondent but was yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
But, the member representing the Kanam constituency in the state assembly, Saleh Yipmong, confirmed the attack to Daily Trust.
“I have been told that lives were lost and property also destroyed. At the moment, government has deployed security in the area.
“I am calling on people of the area to cooperate with security agencies to ensure peace is restored in the affected areas,” he said.
Also, the member representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam federal constituency, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, in a statement yesterday, confirmed the attack.
The lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on Navy, lamented that the attacks took place despite intelligence reports by the DSS about the influx of bandits fleeing to Plateau and other neighbouring states over nine months ago.
He added that the federal government had been negligent in providing security to Plateau communities.
