Gunmen killed at least 16 people in an attack in a village in central Nigeria on Sunday, December 24, according to a military official. “There was a riot following the incident but the situation was brought under control,” captain Oya James told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The attack occurred in Mushu village in Plateau state, a region that has been plagued by religious and ethnic tensions for several years. “We were sleeping at night when suddenly loud shots were fired. We were scared because we didn’t expect an attack,” said Markus Amorudu, a resident of the village. “People hid, but the attackers captured many of us, some were killed, others were injured,” he added.
“Barbaric, brutal and unjustified”
The state's governor, Caleb Mutfwang, condemned the attack, calling it “barbaric, brutal and unjustified.” After the attack, security forces and soldiers were deployed to monitor the area and prevent public disorder. “The government will take proactive measures to curb the ongoing attacks on innocent citizens,” said Gyang Bere, the governor’s spokesman.
Read the report: Article reserved for our subscribers. Entire areas of Nigeria under the control of “bandits” and warlords
In Nigeria, residents of the country's northwestern and central regions live in fear of attacks by jihadist groups and criminal groups called “bandits” who pillage villages and kill or kidnap residents.