Over 40 people have reportedly been killed by bandits in the Zurak Kompani and Bandalala communities of the Bashar District in Wase Local Government Area, Plateau State.
Some Wase residents told Channels Television over the phone that the attacks on the villages occurred on Monday night as residents were retiring from the day’s work.
According to the residents, the bandits launched simultaneous attacks on the villages, setting houses on fire. This caused chaos, resulting in the deaths of some residents and injuries to others.
Reportedly, over thirty people were killed in Kompani Zurak, and another ten were killed in Bandalala, with several others still missing.
Residents of the attacked communities have fled to neighboring villages for refuge.
Audu Ummah, a resident of Wase town, reported that some of the injured from the attacked communities are receiving treatment in various health centers, while other survivors have relocated to Wase and nearby villages.
As of the time of this report, security agencies have not commented on the attacks, nor has the state government.The incident adds to the growing number of attacks in communities in the North-Central state which has been plagued by incessant clashes.
Plateau, situated on the boundary between Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north and mostly Christian south, is a hotspot for intercommunal conflicts.
In December, numerous individuals lost their lives in village raids, leading to the displacement of thousands in the affected areas.
Conflicts in Nigeria’s North-West and North-Central regions stem from disputes over land between nomadic herders and settled farmers.
The competition for natural resources, exacerbated by rapid population growth and climate challenges, has escalated into wider criminal activities.
Concerned about the frequent attacks, the United Nations’ World Food Programme cautioned that ongoing conflict and insecurity, coupled with inflation and climate change, could significantly increase hunger levels throughout the country.
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