No fewer than 25 people have lost their lives following an overnight attack by suspected bandits on Kawel community in the Mushere District of Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State.
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‎The Chairman of Bokkos LGA, Samuel Amalau, confirmed the incident during a telephone conversation with Channels Television on Monday. According to him, the attackers invaded the community around midnight and opened fire on residents.
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‎Amalau disclosed that the assailants also targeted a primary healthcare facility in the area, where four individuals were reportedly killed.
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‎Earlier accounts from a community youth leader, identified as Tula, suggested that the death toll could be as high as 30. However, the local government chairman stated that authorities have so far verified 25 fatalities.
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‎Security agencies are yet to release an official statement on the attack, while efforts continue to determine the full scale of the incident.
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‎The latest assault comes about three months after a deadly ambush in the Garga axis of Kanam Local Government Area, where no fewer than 20 security personnel and vigilantes were reportedly killed by heavily armed bandits.
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‎At the time, the Kanam Development Association said the victims included 12 security operatives, among them two senior military officers, and eight vigilante members supporting security operations in the area.
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‎The association explained that the joint patrol team was travelling through Garga, Kyaram and Gyambau communities on a routine operation when it was ambushed by a large group of armed attackers near Wanka community.
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‎Following the attack, the bandits reportedly invaded Kyaram, carting away valuables worth millions of naira and rustling numerous cattle belonging to residents.
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‎KADA had warned that communities along the borders of Plateau, Taraba and Bauchi states have continued to face recurring security threats, including kidnappings, cattle theft and violent attacks, over the past several years.
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