Gunmen kill 27 people; burn down 70 houses in Plateau

Gunmen reportedly attacked a community in Riyom Local Government in Plateau state, killing 27 and torching 70 houses in Bachi district of the LGA.

The Chairman of Riyom Local Government in Plateau, Mrs Josephine Piyo, speaking through Council Secretary, Mr. Alex Kundang, to a joint team of the National Emergency Management Agency and the State Emergency Management Agency, said that the attack which took place on Thursday has displaced no fewer than 3, 520 people.

She stated that the attacks on Riyom people had become recurrent and asked that urgent national  attention be given to the situation.

Punch quotes her as saying:“The methods of the attacks are similar to that of Boko Haram in terms of approach and the weapons used”

The newspaper also quoted Mr Eugene Melong, a senior official who led the NEMA North Central team on a visit to the area as saying: “We are here with my team to carry out on the spot assessment, generate report and then send it to our headquarters to enable the government to render some assistance,”