Death toll from attacks in north-central Nigeria rises to 113

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
26 Dec 2023 08:40
1 Shares

The toll of fatalities resulting from the weekend assaults by military groups on communities in north-central Nigeria has reached 113, as confirmed by a local official on Monday.

A man stands next to body bags of farmers who were victims of an attack, in the Zabarmari district, near Maiduguri, on November 6, 2023. (AFP)

On Monday, a local official reported that the death toll from weekend assaults by military groups on communities in north-central Nigeria has reached 113.

The attacks, carried out by groups locally referred to as "bandits," occurred in various communities, including the Bokkos and Barkin Ladi local government areas of Plateau state.

Monday Kassah, the head of the local government in Bokkos, stated that the assaults occurred during the festive Christmas season, resulting in the tragic loss of 113 lives across approximately 20 communities in the state.

According to a statement in The Daily Trust, Captain Oya James, the spokesperson for Operation Safe Haven, a joint security task force responsible for maintaining law and order in Plateau state, confirmed the recovery of 113 bodies.

He stated, "As I am talking to you, we have recovered 113 bodies from those communities. We have also recovered more than 300 injured individuals, some of whom were transported to hospitals in Jos and others to a hospital in Barkin Ladi, while the rest have been taken to hospitals in Bokkos."

The report emphasizes that clashes between farming communities and herders are a common occurrence in Nigeria's Plateau state.

Local officials say that the number of casualities could rise as military personnel, local vigilantes, and hunters are going through the bushes in search of missing people who were ambushed during the attacks.