At least 23 people, including women and children, have been killed in a suspected reprisal on Bin-Per community in Kombun district of Mangu LGA of Plateau State.
The attack occurred less than 48 hours after Fulani
residents were targeted in Jwak Maitumbi, also in Mangu LGA.
Several residents were reportedly killed in Sunday’s attack,
while about 45 residential shelters and large quantities of crops were
destroyed.
According Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication,
suspected Fulani militias invaded Bin-Per in the early hours of Tuesday,
approaching the predominantly farming community through an isolated route from
the neighbouring Bokkos axis.
The attack has heightened tensions in the area, where
communities have endured repeated cycles of violence, reprisal attacks,
displacement and destruction of livelihoods.
A military security source told Zagazola that troops were
deployed shortly after receiving reports of the attack but arrived after the
assailants had withdrawn.
“Upon arrival, the troops conducted a sweep of the general
area, but the attackers had already withdrawn from the community,” the
publication quoted the source as saying.
Reinforcements, including security personnel operating
alongside Operation Rainbow, subsequently joined the response, after which the
combined team conducted a search of the community.
The operation led to the recovery of 16 bodies, including
those of women and children.
The military said efforts were continuing to search the
area, establish the final casualty figure and gather further information about
the attack.
However, Lemun Le’an Iliya, councillor representing Kombun
ward, and the Mwaghavul Youth Movement gave higher casualty figures, putting
the death toll at between 23 and 24.
The youth group said 24 people were killed in the attack.
Zagazola said the discrepancy could be explained by the
initial recovery of 16 bodies by security personnel, while residents continued
to account for people who were missing, injured or displaced.
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