Gunmen attack villages in northern Nigeria, 28 killed

At least 28 people have been killed in an attack by unidentified gunmen in Nigeria`s northern state of Plateau, officials said.

Abuja: At least 28 people have been killed in an attack by unidentified gunmen, who also set ablaze houses in Nigeria`s northern state of Plateau, officials said. The gunmen attacked the villages in Ganawuri district in Plateau under Riyom local government area on Monday, shooting indiscriminately and setting ablaze houses, they said yesterday. They said houses and churches in villages of DaJak, Attakar, Zadien, Luka and Marid were set on fire by the attackers forcing the villagers to flee to neighbouring Kaduna State. Two policemen identified were shot dead by the assailants.

Lieutenant Jude Akpa, a military spokesman, confirmed the death of the policemen and was quoted by local media as saying that a team of officers was attacked as they were patrolling the crises-ridden area. Daniel Dem, a parliamentarian representing Riyom Constituency in the state House of Assembly, confirmed that 28 people were killed in the attack, according to local media. An eyewitness said that he counted 28 dead bodies on the streets of the villages that came under siege. The State Commissioner of Police Chris Olakpe confirmed the incident. No arrest has been made yet, he said, adding that his men were on the trail of the attackers. On Saturday, 25 people were killed in coordinated attacks by unidentified men armed with machine guns, bombs and rocket-propelled grenades in northern Nigeria, police said. The targets of the attacks were a tavern, a bank, a police station and a prison at Ganye town in Adamawa state. During the attacks late Friday, 127 prisoners were also freed and unspecified amount of money looted. Often such attacks are carried out by Islamist sect Boko Haram members, in the oil rich African nation but in the Plateau state, internecine violence is also very common. Fulani ethnic group and other groups engage each other in attacks and reprisals which usually claim lives. PTI