. Troops dismantle terrorists enclave, kill two in Katsina
Yemi Kosoko in Jos and Francis Sardauna
No fewer than 25 persons have been confirmed dead following a late-night attack on Kawel village in Mushere District of Bokkos Local Government Area in Plateau State.
The assault, which occurred around midnight last Sunday, was carried out by suspected herdsmen who stormed the community while residents were asleep. Witnesses said the attackers fired sporadically, forcing villagers to flee into nearby bushes.
The Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Area, Samuel Amalau, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, stating that the assailants struck at about 12:00 midnight. He disclosed that the attackers also invaded a Primary Health Care Centre in the community, killing four persons.
Earlier, a youth leader, Christopher Luka, reported that as many as 30 people might have been killed; however, Amalau clarified that the casualty figure officially stands at 25. Luka explained that he received a distress call shortly after midnight and immediately alerted security personnel stationed in Bokkos.
Residents, including Malo Bitrus, recounted the horror of the attack, noting that corpses were still being recovered from the bushes hours after the incident. “The gunmen stormed the village at about 11:40 p.m., shooting sporadically. So far, 19 deaths have been confirmed, but the search continues,” Bitrus said.
The attack came less than a week after the killing of the District Head of Gwande, Saf Samuel Alaket, who was ambushed along the Sha District axis bordering Daffo community while returning from a traditional council meeting.
Meanwhile, security agencies are yet to issue an official statement on the latest incident, but local leaders have called for urgent intervention to prevent further violence and safeguard vulnerable communities.
Meanwhile, Troops of the 17 Brigade, Nigerian Army, have neutralised two suspected terrorists and recovered arms, ammunition, and other logistics during a raid on a terrorist enclave in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The operation, carried out under Operation CLEAN SWEEP III, targeted a suspected terrorist hideout at Ginchawa village in the early hours of yesterday following credible intelligence.
The acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 17 Brigade, Captain Abayomi Adisa, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, said the troops launched a dawn assault on the camp, catching the terrorists unawares.
The statement said the terrorists attempted to resist the attack but were overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the troops and fled into the surrounding bushes.
“The troops immediately launched a hot pursuit of the fleeing terrorists along their withdrawal routes. During the encounter, two terrorists were neutralised, while several others are believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds, as traces of blood were discovered within the enclave and along the terrorists’ escape routes,” the statement said.
It further explained that the troops combed the area after the raid and recovered two PKT machine guns, one Dane gun, one AK-47 magazine, and 75 rounds of 7.62mm linked NATO ammunition.
Other items recovered during the operation, according to the statement, were three motorcycles, two mobile phones, one Motorola radio set, a pair of camouflage uniforms, two cows, and four goats.
The statement added, however, that no casualty was recorded among the military personnel during the dreaded operation.
It stressed that the successful raid underscored the effectiveness of ongoing counter-terrorism operations being conducted by the 17 Brigade and reaffirmed the Brigade’s commitment to denying terrorists and other criminal elements freedom of action in Katsina State.
The statement noted that the Brigade remained resolute in its mission to protect lives and property and ensure a secure environment for law-abiding citizens across the state.
