Not less than nine persons lost their lives and seven were injured, as gunmen invade the Maikatako community, in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State on Tuesday 15th November.
During the attack, the assailants reportedly set several houses ablaze, causing tension that sent shivers down the spines of residents in the community.
An eyewitness, John Bature, who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday, said residents were asleep when the gunmen stormed the community.
Bature said, “We did not sleep because gunmen attacked our community yesterday (Tuesday). It was by the Grace of God that I was not killed.
“Many of our people had already retired to their beds when some persons carrying guns entered the community and started shooting around 9.30 pm.
“People who tried to run were shot. It was this morning that I learned that nine of the villagers were killed by the gunmen who also set several houses ablaze in the community.”
The spokesman for the Military Taskforce in charge of maintaining peace in the state, Oya James, also confirmed the attack but did not give the casualty figure.
According to him, the timely intervention by security operatives deployed in the community during the attack saved the situation.
James said, “It was around 11 pm yesterday that somebody alerted us of an ongoing attack in a community along Bokkos road. We quickly deployed our men and the intervention was very helpful in stopping the attackers in their mission.
When asked to confirm the casualty figure recorded during the attack, James said, “Those killed were not up to nine. I will get back to you to give you the actual figure but the situation is calm now.”