ABOUT 87 people were killed and 39 injured during an attack on villages in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Tuesday, May 16.
The spokesperson of the state police command Alabo Alfred disclosed this in a statement on Friday, May 19.
According to him, seven suspects in connection with the attack have been arrested.
Alfred explained that the individuals that sustained varying injuries are currently receiving treatment in different hospitals in the state.
“After calm was restored to the communities, more bodies were recovered, which is part of the thirty (30) earlier reported. The figures are as follows: (1) Kubat Village 27, (2) Kantoma Village 31, (3) Alagon 6, (4) Kubwas 8, (5) Dumnang 9, (6). Shangal 1, (7) Gwet 3 and (8) Washna 2.
“As at the time of filling this report, Manret Hospital had about Fifteen (15) injured persons, Infinity Hospital had over Eight (8), Allah Nakowa Hospital had over Sixteen (16), while at Mangu Cottage Hospital, there are an unspecified number of persons receiving treatment there also, ” he added.
Alfred noted that the suspects were all arrested in while committing crime and exhibits were recovered from them.
“We are pleased to inform the general public that in addition to the Five (5) suspects earlier announced, two (2) more suspects have been arrested, and exhibits recovered from them include two (2) cutlasses, one (1) dagger and some amount of money suspected to have been stolen from the houses they looted, as they were all arrested in the act of committing the crime by officers from one of our tactical team.
He stressed that the suspects will be charged to court for prosecution immediately the police conclude its due investigation.
“The suspects are presently in our custody and will be charged to court for prosecution after our investigations are concluded. As part of the Command’s efforts to maintain peace and order, there has been an intensified security presence in and around Mangu Local Government Area.
The Command extended its condolences to the families of the deceased, pledging that the perpetrators of the heinous crime will be brought to justice.
” The CP also urged the good people of Plateau State to remain calm and cooperate with the Police and other Security agencies in their efforts to maintain law and order in the State through the timely reportage of suspicious activities in and around their environment, as security is everybody’s business.
“He also assures them that the Police will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of all the residents of Plateau State,” the statement read.
A member of the House of Representatives, Solomon Maren, on Wednesday, May 17, disclosed that over 100 persons have been killed by terrorists in Plateau State within the last 48 hours.
Maren, who is representing Mangu/Bokkos federal constituency of plateau state, said the killings happened within his constituency as a result of multiple village attacks in the area.
He said this at a press conference at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
According to him, the latest attacks took the death toll to 200 in the past four months.
He stressed that the attackers also burnt houses, farms and stored agricultural inputs.
“I find it expedient at this time to intimate the world on the unfortunate happenings in my constituency, Mangu/Bokkos federal constituency of Plateau state,. In the last two days, over 100 persons, most of them women and children, have been massacred and butchered in cold blood by terrorists during an overnight unprovoked attack and their houses burnt down, including foodstuff, food barns and seedlings.
“These killings are one among many in the constituency, where over 200 persons have been killed in the last four months before this one.
“Government may claim to be doing its best but its best is not good enough, since it is not able to stop the killings in years. However, I commend the few gallant officers working without sufficient arms, yet gave themselves to save lives,” he said.
He further urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately order security agencies to curb the killings.
“Therefore, I urge the president to order the security agencies to move into the area with immediate effect to curb the killings as well as the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and other well-spirited organizations to also move in with relief materials for the wounded survivors of the dastard attack.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M