At least twelve people were reportedly killed when vigilante members in the Zak community Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State clash with bandits.
The fierce gun battle reportedly led to the killing of nine bandits and three vigilante members
It was gathered that the security group faced the criminals upon sighting them in the communities.
The spokesperson for Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major Ishaku Takwa, a multi-security task force maintaining peace in the State has confirmed the incident but could not ascertain the number of people killed in the confrontation.
A youth leader in Wase, Shapi Sambo, who confirmed the killings said the incident occured at about 9 pm on Monday when the villagers were preparing to go to sleep.
“When the bandits invaded the community, the villagers try to resist their attack which led to the killing of 12 persons, 9 among them are bandits, 3 are vigilantes,” he staid.
The attack is coming one week after the killing of seven soldiers and one vigilante member in the same community by bandits.
The spokesman of Operation SAFE HAVEN, a multi security taskforce maintaining peace in the state, Major Ishaku Takwa, confirmed the incident but could not ascertain the casualty figure the incident.
He stressed that the Commander and troops who repelled the attack moved to Gajin Bashar community to fight the bandits who had stormed the area to attack the villagers.
The youth leader narrated that “The bandits came on motorcycles in their numbers in the morning. We suspected that they passed a night in a bush closed to Zak.
“When people realized that the bandits arrived in the community, they quickly informed Operation Safe Haven stationed in Zak and they swiftly mobilised their troops to the general area and repelled the attacks together with the vigilantes. It was a serious crash,” Shapi’i added.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, Alfred Alabo confirmed the incident and said the DPO in the area has not given him the details of the attack.
It could be recalled that bandits had asked residents from five villages in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State to vacate their homes or risk attacks.
