No fewer than 13 persons, including three pregnant women, have been killed in a fresh attack by gunmen on Ngbra Zongo community in Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The late-night assault, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, also left several residents injured, while many others reportedly fled into surrounding bushes to escape the attackers.
A community leader, Lawrence Zongo, who confirmed the incident in Jos, described the killings as devastating, noting that innocent villagers were targeted during the attack.
According to him, the community had previously experienced similar attacks, including an earlier incident in which a pastor and several residents were killed.
Another resident, Philip Alanga, said the gunmen invaded the village around midnight, shooting indiscriminately and attacking residents with machetes and other dangerous weapons.
He appealed to security agencies to strengthen protection in vulnerable rural communities and ensure those responsible for the killings are apprehended and prosecuted.
Efforts to get an official reaction from the Plateau State Police Command were unsuccessful as the spokesperson, SP Alfred Alabo, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE have uncovered two illegal arms manufacturing factories in Vom, Jos South Local Government Area of the state.
The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Chinonso Oteh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Jos.
According to him, the operation followed intensified intelligence gathering and surveillance aimed at disrupting the production and circulation of illegal firearms in the state.
Oteh said troops of the Quick Response Force arrested five suspects allegedly caught while fabricating weapons during the operation carried out on Thursday.
He added that security operatives recovered several items from the facilities, including fabricated AK-47 rifles, a locally made pistol, empty magazines, skeletal rifle components and industrial tools allegedly used in weapon production.
The military spokesman stated that the suspects and recovered exhibits remained in custody for further investigation, while covert operations were ongoing to recover more illegal arms and ammunition circulating within the state.