Death toll in Plateau attack rises to 39

The death toll in the clashes between some villagers and soldiers in three villages of Kadarko, Kurmi and Wadata in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State has risen to 39.

Soldiers said to be on reprisal in over 40 trucks were said to have arrived the villages on Saturday and killed the villagers.

The soldiers’ action was said to have been informed by reports of alleged killings of four soldiers at Angwan Nanmi, Karin Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State by the villagers.

The traditional ruler of Ponzhi Kadarko, Chief Lot Nde, told our correspondent on the telephone on Sunday that the death toll could still rise as soldiers, with armoured tanks, had pursued some villagers into the bush where many of them were shot and killed.

He said that the entire villages had been razed.

The Punch had reported that 30 people were killed but Nde said that so far 28 people had been killed in Kadarko while 11 others were shot to death in Wadata.

The traditional ruler said that the villages had been vacated, while he had been on the run because “I’m the main target of the attack.”

Nde added that the women in his house told him that when the soldiers arrived his palace, they told them that they were instructed to kill the traditional ruler.

He said that his palace was completely razed while all the economic trees in his compound were cut down, adding that he had been taken refuge in neighbouring Langtang,

He said, “As I am talking to you now, all the villages have been deserted and I am taking refuge somewhere in Langtang.”

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However, the spokesman for the Special Task Force, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, has denied this. He also disputed the claim in some reports that more than 400 people had been killed.

He said that it would be erroneous to believe that the soldiers would turn round and to kill civilians they were being paid to protect.

Giving account of what happened, Iweha said that following frequent attacks on communities around the Plateau-Taraba border by some militiamen, the STF men and soldiers from the 3 Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army had been carrying out operations to flush out militiamen from the area.

He said that in the process there was a clash between some locals and some of the militiamen. This, he said, led to the death of some people including the villagers.