No fewer than 25 people were killed in an attack by gunmen in Bassa local government of Plateau state on Monday night.
The gunmen attacked Kimakpa, Zirshe and Dundun villages in Kwall district of the local government.
The killing were carried out as people were preparing to burry 18 of their people killed last weekend who bodies were deposited at the morgue of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
Plateau State Police Spokesman Terna Tyopev, said policemen had been deployed in the communities to prevent further attack.
He said: “The gunmen stormed the village at about 11pm and took residents unaware. Some residents were able to escape, but the gunmen killed 25 people before the information got to us”
However, the special military task force code named operation safe haven (OPSH) said 21 people were killed and two injured
Some of the villagers who escaped the Bassa attack said the gunmen that came were more than 200 and they were heavily armed.
Many of the residents were reported missing after the attack; a rescue team put up by the villagers have been combing the nearby bush in search of the missing ones.
Media officer of OPSH Major Adam Umar said the task force had launched a manhunt for the killers. “With the deployment of men of the OPSH to the affected villages, residents can be assured of safety”.
Spokesman of the Irigwe Development Association Ivy Gulu, said 23 persons were killed at Dundu, another village in Kwall District of Bassa.
“Twenty-three persons were killed in an attack on Dundu village last night. We are already preparing for a mass burial,” Gulu said.
He said that many others were missing and were feared killed.
Gulu said that many houses were burnt down by the invaders.
A correspondent of NAN, who visited the village, observed that smoke was still billowing from some of the houses set ablaze while many residents had fled to villages considered safer.
Gulu expressed sadness that the attacks came on a day slated for the mass burial of those killed last week.
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has sacked Mr Simon Angyol, the Management Committee Chairman of Bokkos Local Government over incessant killings in the locality.
Lalong made this in communication forwarded to the State’s House of Assembly and was read at Tuesday’s plenary by its Speaker, Peter Azi.
“Following certain unpleasant development in the management of Bokkos local government council, I wish to seek approval for the removal of Mr Simon Angyol as Management Committee Chairman of the Council.
“I also wish to seek your approval to appoint Mr Tamai Simon as the new Management Committee Chairman of the Council,” he stated.
Members of House, in a voice vote, approved the removal of Angyol and the subsequent appointment of Simon