The Plateau State Police Command has said that 96 persons were killed while 221 houses were set ablaze during the Christmas Eve attacks by terrorists in Plateau State.
The State Commissioner of Police, Okoro Alawari, disclosed this in a statement signed by the command’s spokesman, Alfred Alabo, on Tuesday.
According to him, the attacks which were carried out by the assailants in 15 communities of Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of the state also left eight vehicles burnt in the process.
The statement reads in part: “The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Okoro Alawari expresses grief over the deadly attacks that took place in some remote villages of Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State carried out by some yet-to-identified assailants on the December 24, 2023 at odd hours of the night, and sympathises with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the gruesome attack.
“On December 24, 2023, at 2200hrs, the following 12 villages in Bokkos LGA were attacked; Ndun, Ngyong, Murfet, Makundary, Tamiso, Chiang, Tahore, Gawarba, Dares, Meyenga, Darwat and Butura Kampani.
“Similarly, on December 24, 2023, at about 2245hrs, three villages in Barkin-Ladi LGA namely; NTV, Hurum and Darawat were also attacked.
“To prevent further carnage, the Commissioner of Police had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to relocate to Bokkos LGA and also deployed a team of operational forces to the troubled areas to prevent further attacks and assess the level of damages in the affected areas.
“Findings from the assessment of the ugly incidents in Bokkos LGA revealed that the total number of villages attacked is 12; 221 houses were set ablaze, 27 motorcycles were burnt, eight motor vehicles were burnt down and over 79 persons were killed while 17 deaths were recorded in Barkin-ladi LGA.
“Investigation and monitoring of the incidents are still on. Further development will be communicated soon,” the statement added.
However, eyewitnesses told journalists on Monday, December 25, that 112 persons were killed in the coordinated attacks on 15 plateau communities.
