Plateau attack: Death toll rises to 15, as Buhari urges end to ‘tit-for-tat’

The Police in Plateau State say the death toll in the Sunday night attack on Kwatas village in Bokkos Local Government Area of the state by gunmen has risen to 15.
ASP Abu Gabriel, the command’s spokesman, who disclosed this in Bokkos on Monday, said two more victims had died, raising the number to 15.
“Two of the wounded persons receiving treatment at the Cottage Hospital, Bokkos, died this afternoon, bringing the number of casualties to 15.
“Doctors in the hospital are trying their best in the treatment of those wounded to prevent further loss of lives; all of them are responding to treatment,” he said.
Gabriel, who said security operatives were on top of the situation, dispelled rumours that shooting and killing were ongoing in the village in which most houses were reportedly razed by the attackers.
According to him, “deployment of combined security personnel to the village has been done and the situation is under control now.”
The police spokesman appealed to the people of Bokkos and the entire state to remain calm as efforts were being made to track down the perpetrators to face the wrath of the law.
The attack is the second in the last two weeks, as 12 persons had earlier been killed in Kulben village in Kombun District of Mangu Local Government Area of the state by gunmen .
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned attacks that resulted in the death of 15 persons in Plateau State, assuring that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and associated crimes will be defeated.
The president made this known in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Monday.
He said: “In Plateau State, gunmen launched yet another bloody attack, killing innocent citizens. This shocking and sad incident should be condemned by all citizens.
“Revenge, hatred and violent attacks should have no place in a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-religious society as we have in this country.”
The President called on community and religious leaders to counsel the youths on the need for peaceful co-existence.
He expressed condolences to families of the victims, government and people of Plateau and urged security agencies in the state to rediscover their act and “stop the return of the ugly days of tit-for-tat”.