The Plateau State Police Command has confirmed the killing of seven persons at Dong Locality of Jos South Local Government Area of the state.
The police spokesman in the state, Gabriel Ubah-Ogaba, in a statement on Monday, said the killing took place Sunday night.
According to him, the assailants were unknown, but “frantic effort is on to arrest the fleeing suspects”.
Mr Ubah-Ogaba said; “On Sunday 23/05/2021 at about 2000hrs, the Command received a distress call that yet to be identified gunmen came out suddenly from a nearby bush, invaded Dong Village, Jos South LGA and killed seven persons.”
He added that a combined team of policemen, STF, vigilante operatives led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operation raced swiftly to the scene but the hoodlums had already fled back into the bush.
Investigation is ongoing, Frantic effort is on to arrest the fleeing suspects. Meanwhile Security has been beefed up in that area to prevent escalation of violence,” he added.
This is coming amidst claims by herders that their people had been killed in recent days.
Some residents that last Saturday, two herders were attacked and killed by unknown assailants around the area.
Although the police spokesman has not confirmed the incident, local leader of the herders, Nura Abdullahi, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
Mr Abdullahi said: “Two of our herders were unjustifiably killed by unknown assailants, at Dong, and one other at Heipang area of Barkin Ladi.”
The Fulani leader alleged that in recent days six of their men were killed in separate incidences, while 52 cows were rustled and killed in the area.
He, therefore, urged the police and other security agencies to put in their best at nipping the ugly situations at the bud.
As at the time of filing this report, no person or group has claimed responsibility for the killings.
But the senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly, Istifanus Gyang, said 14 persons were killed during the attacks, who occurred at two separate places.
Mr Gyang, in a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Musa Ashoms, said: “Shortly after the IGP issued a Security Alert on likely terror attacks on Jos and the FCT, the blood merchants have visited terror on DONG community adjacent Wild Life Park, Jos and KWI village, adjacent Yakubu Gowon Airport Heipang on Sunday night, 23/05/21 where 14 persons were butchered to death, including children.”