Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked about 17 communities in the two local government areas on Christmas Eve, killing scores of people and injuring many others.
The police in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria have said that their personnel arrested eight suspects in connection with the attacks and killing of about 200 people around Christmas time in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of the state.
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked about 17 communities in the two local government areas on Christmas Eve, killing scores of people and injuring many others.
They also burnt several houses.
Confirming the arrest, Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, told Nigerian Tribune that the eight suspects were arrested following a tip-off by members of the affected communities.
The police spokesperson said that the eight suspects were being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Alabo said, “Some people have been arrested and they are in custody undergoing interrogation.
“As of the last count, they were eight in number. But at the moment, the affected communities and villages are relatively calm and our men are on ground to ensure that the peace that has been restored is maintained.”
On Monday, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, said the Nigerian military had arrested some suspected believed to be responsible for the Christmas Eve massacre in the two local government areas.
The CDS said this when he appeared on a Channels TV programme, adding that the military was also working with state governments to reclaim all communities presently captured by terrorists across the country.
“We are working with the state governments to identify these areas, this year God-willing we will make sure bandits hold no community,” he said.
He added that once the communities were recovered, the internally displaced camps in the country would be reduced drastically as people would freely relocate to their homes.
He continued: “Members of the community will be able to leave the IDP camps and be able to go there.”
SaharaReporters also reported how gunmen suspected to be terrorists also reportedly invaded Shere village in the Jos East Local Government Area of the state last Sunday.
At least two villagers were murdered while one of the attackers was also killed in the fresh attack.
A hunter living in the village was reported to have killed one of the assailants when he engaged the terrorists who were wielding AK-47 rifles and heavy weapons.
https://tribuneonlineng.com/