Unidentified gunmen killed 14 people in a vehicle that was returning from a weekly market in Bokkos, central . The attack happened at around midday on Thursday, and the victims include women and children, according to local residents and a official, who spoke to AFP.
Farmasum Fuddang, chair of the Bokkos cultural development forum, said attackers had intercepted the vehicle and opened fire.
“Victims included women and little babies,” Fuddang said in a statement.
Nurudeen Hussaini Magaji, a Red Cross official, confirmed the death toll on Friday morning. “Amongst the dead were males, females and children,” he said.
Locals call for more security in Plateau state
The area in central Plateau state has seen an increase in violent conflicts over the years. Land in the rural area, used by , is limited and has been the center of deadly competition by armed gangs.
in the area is sparse, and conflicts have killed hundreds of people in recent years. Following Thursday’s attack, there were calls for stronger security.
After Thursday’s shooting, two people were killed in a revenge attack. “Aggrieved youths have stormed a Fulani settlement close to the place where the ambush took place,” Shanono Usman, a local trader, told AFP.
Police in Plateau state did not comment on the attack.
Edited by Sean Sinico
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