Gunmen attack Plateau community, kill 3-month-old baby, 17 others

File: Some of the houses burnt during a similar attack

No fewer than 18 people including a three-month-old baby lost their lives in the attack on Ancha community in Miango chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau by gunmen.

National Secretary, Iregwe Development Association, Mr. Danjuma Auta, told journalists on Wednesday that the attack which lasted for over two hours on Tuesday night led to the killing of 18 people with six others injured while over 24 households were razed down.

Auta said other properties like motor vehicles, motorcycles and harvested food crops were also destroyed with many valuables stolen and carted away.

The Special Task Force Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) maintaining peace in Plateau and environs has confirmed the attack on Ancha community.

Maj. Ishaku Takwa, the Media Officer of the task force, said on Wednesday in Jos that the criminals came to the community on Tuesday night, killed some people, injured some and destroyed many houses.

He, however, didn’t give figures of persons killed, injured or the number of houses destroyed.

“In the late hours of Tuesday, January 11, troops of OPSH received a distress call of an attack on Ancha community in Bassa Local Government Area.

“The troops responded swiftly and mobilised to the village, but on reaching the community, the attackers had fled the village.

“Houses were destroyed and some villagers lost their lives during the attack,” he said.

The media officer said that troops of the operation have been on the trail of the assailants and promised to make available more details later.

Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has described the attack as a sad tale cycle of violent attacks in the state.

“The attack carried out on Tuesday night was another sad tale of cycle of violent attacks in the area, in spite of several measures taken by the state government,” he said.

List of People Killed