No fewer than 10 persons have been confirmed dead, while several others sustained injuries following an attack by heavily armed gunmen on Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday evening, reportedly threw residents into panic and confusion as the assailants invaded Gari Yawaye, a suburb of the community, at about 8pm.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the gunmen, numbering over 20, stormed the area on motorcycles and opened fire indiscriminately, forcing residents to flee for safety.
The attack disrupted the relative calm of the community, which houses a number of staff and students of the University of Jos.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the attackers were dressed in uniforms resembling those of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“They came dressed like NDLEA officers. They even bought items from a shop before suddenly opening fire. The shop owner managed to escape, but four others were not so lucky,” the resident said.
He added that by the time the attackers left, at least 10 people had been killed, while many others were injured either by gunshots or in the ensuing chaos.
“The sad part is that security operatives, including soldiers, arrived nearly an hour after the gunmen had fled,” he lamented.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, and the spokesperson for Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Nicholas Oteh, were unsuccessful, as calls to their phones were not answered.
Margaret ABAH
