The death toll from the attack on three villages in Langtang Local Government Area of Plateau has risen to 70, while a police chief in the area is missing, a Plateau lawmaker has said.
Beni Lar, representing Langtang North and Langtang South in the House of Representatives, stated this on Tuesday.
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen attacked Bolgan, Karkashi, and Magama villages last week Wednesday. Although the military confirmed the death of 28 people in the attack, residents said more than that number died; while Ms. Lar has now put the figure at over 70. She also said about 7000 people were displaced from the attack.
“Apart from over 70 people that were killed, many are still missing including a police DCO,” Ms. Lar said on Tuesday while addressing displaced people at the LGEA Pilot Central Primary School in Mabudi, Plateau State.
The lawmaker claimed the nomads that attacked the village had the intention of wiping out the village, while saying that a police chief is still missing since the incident.
“From what I gathered, the Divisional Crime Officer is still missing, 7,000 people displaced while almost seventy people lost their lives.
“The intention of the attackers was to wipe out the entire inhabitants of the villages for just no reason,” she said.
The commissioner of Police in Plateau, Chris Olakpe, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the DCO is missing. He, however said, the casualty figure is 30 and not 70 as claimed by the lawmaker.