Christmas Eve Attack: 86 Killed, 211 Houses Burnt In Plateau – Police

The Plateau State Police Command, on Tuesday, revealed 86 individuals lost their lives, and 221 houses were set ablaze during the Christmas Eve assaults perpetrated by gunmen in Plateau State.

The State Commissioner of Police, Okoro Alawari, made this disclosure in a statement released on Tuesday and signed by the command’s spokesperson, Alfred Alabo.

The attacks, orchestrated by the assailants in 15 communities within Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of the state, also destroyed eight vehicles.

The statement read, “The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Okoro Alawari, expresses grief over the deadly attacks that took place in some remote villages of Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State carried out by some yet-to-identified assailants on the December 24, 2023 at odd hours of the night, and sympathises with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the gruesome attack.

“On December 24, 2023, at 2200hrs, the following 12 villages in Bokkos LGA were attacked: Ndun, Ngyong, Murfet, Makundary, Tamiso, Chiang, Tahore, Gawarba, Dares, Meyenga, Darwat and Butura Kampani.

“Similarly, on December 24, 2023, at about 2245hrs, three villages in Barkin-Ladi LGA, namely; NTV, Hurum and Darawat, were also attacked.”

In order to avert additional bloodshed, the Commissioner of Police issued directives for the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to move to Bokkos Local Government Area.

Additionally, a contingent of operational forces was dispatched to the volatile regions to forestall further attacks and evaluate the extent of damages in the affected areas.

“Findings from the assessment of the ugly incidents in Bokkos LGA revealed that the total number of villages attacked is 12; 221 houses were set ablaze, 27 motorcycles were burnt, eight motor vehicles were burnt down, and over 79 persons were killed while 17 deaths were recorded in Barkin-ladi LGA.

“Investigation and monitoring of the incidents are still on. Further development will be communicated soon,” the statement added.