More than 20 people, including women and children, are feared dead following an attack on Amper community in BWI district of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, August 18, according to local sources, making it the third security incident reported in Mangu within a week.
Residents said several people were killed while others remain unaccounted for after the latest assault. One person was reportedly shot during an earlier attack in the area.
The Plateau State Police Command confirmed the incident but said it was still working to establish the exact number of casualties.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, said the initial report received by the police put the number of casualties at 18.
Alabo, however, said the figure was believed to have increased beyond 20 as information continued to emerge from the affected community.
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He also disclosed that the Plateau Commissioner of Police, Faniyan Ayodeji, alongside other senior officers, was heading to the scene to assess the situation and obtain a clearer picture of what happened.
The fresh attack has heightened anxiety among residents of Mangu, particularly following the series of violent incidents recorded in the area within a short period.
First Daily earlier reported that tt least 30 people were reportedly killed and several others injured after gunmen suspected to be terrorists attacked Jwak Maitumbi community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday.
The attackers, said to number more than 100, also reportedly set fire to over 50 houses, food barns and other properties during the assault.
Community members have renewed calls for stronger security measures, urging the government and security agencies to prevent further attacks and protect vulnerable communities.
The circumstances surrounding the latest attack, including the identity of the attackers and the number of people still missing, remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.