Tragedy struck in Plateau State on Monday as suspected bandits ambushed and killed more than 70 members of a local vigilante group in the Kukawa and Bunyun communities of Kanam Local Government Area.
Confirming the attack, the Chairman of the Kukawa Vigilante Group, Aliyu Baffa, told reporters that the victims were part of a joint security team from various vigilante formations in Wase LGA.
The group had been on a mission to locate known bandit hideouts in the area when they were suddenly ambushed.
According to Baffa, the team encountered the heavily armed bandits near Kukawa town, just a kilometer from the community, in a forested area known as Madam Forest, which borders Bauchi and Taraba states.
He said the attackers, wielding sophisticated weapons, opened fire on the unsuspecting vigilantes, killing scores on the spot.
“We have buried more than 70 of our members here in Kukawa.
Unfortunately, many others are still missing, and we fear more bodies could be found in the surrounding bushes,” Baffa said. “Our men were simply outgunned. The bandits had superior firepower.”
The attack has left the community in mourning, with mass burials conducted for the victims by evening.
Baffa said the fallen vigilantes had responded to the call to protect their communities but were overwhelmed by the sheer force of the ambush.
In a separate account, a resident of Bunyun village, Musa Ibrahim, also confirmed the deadly raid.
He said 10 vigilante members guarding the community were killed by the attackers, who also burned down several houses during the onslaught.
The tragic incident marks one of the deadliest single-day losses for local security volunteers in the region and underscores the growing threat posed by armed criminal groups operating across state borders.