Fear has gripped communities in Plateau State after gunmen, suspected to be bandits, attacked Zurak and Bankalala villages in the Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area, killing over 50 residents, including vigilantes, and injuring several others.
Investigations revealed that the assailants also set multiple houses ablaze. The attack occurred around 7 p.m. on Monday as residents were going about their normal activities. Due to poor communication networks, the incident was not reported immediately.
Initially, the death toll was reported at 40, but it rose to 50 by last night. Alhaji Ahmed Lawal, a traditional ruler in Wase, confirmed the death toll and stated that the victims had been buried according to Muslim rites.
Sahpi’i Sambo, a youth leader in the area, described the attack, saying the bandits arrived on motorcycles, armed with sophisticated weapons, and began shooting indiscriminately. “More than 40 people were killed, and many others were injured. Residents have fled to neighboring communities. Security personnel had not arrived at the community by yesterday. It was a deadly attack,” Sambo said.
Daniel Manwan, the information officer for Wase Local Government Area, also confirmed the attack. He noted that over 30 people were killed in Bankalala village, while DSS operatives pursued and killed three bandits in Zurak village. “The entire villages are deserted for fear of the unknown,” Manwan added.
The state police command spokesperson, DSP Alabo Alfred, had not responded to inquiries at the time of this report. The state government also had yet to comment on the incident.
Frequent deadly attacks have plagued Plateau communities over the past decade. In January, a well-coordinated attack left nearly 300 residents dead across more than 20 communities.
