The death toll in the latest coordinated attacks on the Plateau has risen to over 115, the state governor, Governor Caleb Mutfwang has said.
A grieving Governor Mutfwang, who spoke on National Television on Tuesday, said the attacks were unprovoked and tasked security agents to unravel the sponsors of the “carnage” and their blood-thirsty foot-soldiers.
“Just when we had finished preparations for Christmas, unprovoked attacks were unleashed on our communities,” a sombre-faced Mutfwang narrated the blood-curling simultaneous attacks by assailants on over 15 communities in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of the state on Christmas eve.
Several houses were set ablaze by the attackers on Sunday night. The gun-wielding and blood-curling men also looted farm produce and destroyed properties as they butchered the residents.
“As I am talking to you, in Mangu Local Government alone, we buried 15 people. As at this morning, in Bokkos, we are counting over 100 corpses. Not to talk of that of Barkin-Ladi.”
The governor said the attacks were “unprecedented and monumental”, noting that though the assailants intended to break the spirit of the people and pull down the two local governments, the spirit of the people on the Plateau remained unfazed.
Mutfwang, however, said the response time by security agents, especially the men of the Nigerian Army can be better.
The governor also said the attacks were connected to land disputes between aboriginal dwellers and marauding terrorists.
He warned that the people attacked could defend themselves but it might get to a time that the people might not be able to restrain themselves from defending themselves and their lands against the assailants.