Five persons have been confirmed dead following Monday evening attack by terrorists on Kerang community in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack on the community occured despite a 24-hour curfew imposed on the LGA by the government following similar attacks by gunmen which claimed many lives in the neighbouring communities last week.
A resident of Kerang community,Joseph Kabir, confirmed the latest attack to The PUNCH in Jos on Tuesday .
Kabir said among those killed was a couple, adding that the victims were given a mass burial on Tuesday morning
The resident said, “I can confirm to you that five people, including a man and his wife, were killed by terrorists between 5pm and 80pm on 26/06/2023 in Sohon Kerang Community of Kerang District Mangu Local Government.
“We thought that with the declaration of curfew by the government, security agents would be able to stop the terrorists from killing innocent residents.
“But the gunmen came to the community, which is behind the SWAN water Company Ltd, located at Kerang community by 5pm firing gun shots, which led to the killing of victims.
“They escaped into the bush after carrying out their evil act. It was this (Tuesday) morning that the corpses of the victims were discovered by residents who have been thrown into mourning. The victims were given mass burial this morning.”
The spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, was yet to make public statement regarding the incident as at the time of filing this report.
Similarly, terrorists on Monday attacked Ruwan Dorawan village, Dutsinma Local Government Area of Katsina State where they had fierce encounter with the police who subsequently repelled them.
The police killed one of the terrorists and recovered one GPMG with 58 rounds of 7.62 MM X 51 MM live ammunition, during the incident, which occured at 11am. The spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, Abubakar Aliyu, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.
He said, “On the 26th of June, 2023, at about 11am, the command received a report that terrorists, bandits in their numbers, armed with lethal weapons, such as GPMG and AK-47 rifles, shooting sporadically, attacked Ruwan Dorawa village, Dutsinma Local Government Area.
“Unhesitatingly, the Area Commander, along with DPO Dutsinma Division, led a team of Police operatives to the scene and engaged the terrorist in a fierce gun duel, as a result of which they were forced to abandon their heinous mission.”
Meanwhile the command disclosed that it had commenced investigation into Sunday night terrorists’ attack in the Dan Musa Local Government Area where the head of vigilante group was killed.
The terrorists had swooped on the community during Sunday night downpour and killed the vigilante head identified as Mallam Nabanje.
