Jos – An indefinite 24-hour curfew has been imposed on two communities of Fungazi and Kubat in Bwai district of Mangu Local Government of Plateau State.
The curfew imposed on Tuesday by Mangu Local Government Chairman, Minister Daput, followed killing of over 20 people in the communities early Tuesday morning.
Many of the victims were women and children who were killed in ambush laid by yet to be identified gunmen.
Reports said that number of casualties could be more as corpses were still been recovered from bushes as at the time of filing this report.
This has made ascertaining the actual number of death and injured difficult for now.
According to sources, the invaders attacked Kubat on Tuesday morning setting houses on fire.
The marauders also attacked fleeing members with dangerous weapons, leading to the death of some residents while others were injured.
Members of neighbouring Fungzai community, who saw the burning Kubat village, mobilised women and children to move out of the community in other to escape the wrath of the attackers who have started advancing to the community after the attack on Kubat.
However, the escapees in vehicles and motorcycles ran into an ambush by the advancing attackers, killing about 20 people, mostly children and women.
To prevent reprisal and escalation of the situation, a 24-hour curfew was imposed on the local government area.
In a statement signed by Mangu Local Government Chairman, Minister Daput, the stay at home order was agreed on after consultation with heads of security agencies as means of restoring law and order in the affected communities as well as avoid the situation from getting out of hand considering the numbers of casualty involved in the attack.
Public Relations Officer, Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo stated that the command has deployed additional troops to the communities while investigation into the attacks were ongoing.
In the meantime, Governor Simon Lalong, in a statement through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Simon Makut condemned the unprovoked attack, describing it as yet another attempt by crises merchants and criminals to return the state to dark days of agony.
He vowed that the government will stop at nothing to ensure that those behind the heinous crime are not spared. (vitalnewsngr.com)
