By Dakai Gyang
No fewer than 12 persons were reportedly killed on Monday night when bandits clashed with vigilantes in Zak Community of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.
It was learnt that the bandits invaded the community at about 9pm when the people were preparing to go to bed.
The attack came one week after some bandits were said to have killed seven military personnel and one vigilante in a community in Bashar Chiefdom of Wase Local Government Area.
A youth Leader in Wase, Sambo confirmed the incident at Zak, said, “The incident occurred around 9 pm yesterday, and the clash left 9 of the gunmen dead, while 3 vigilantes died in the incident.
Sambo Shapi explained further “The bandits came on motorcycles in their numbers in the morning. We suspected that they passed a night in a bush closed to Zak.
“When people realized that the bandits arrived in the community, they quickly informed Operation Safe Haven stationed in Zak and they swiftly mobilised their troops to the general area and repelled the attacks together with the vigilantes. It was a serious crash, ” Shapi’ added.
The Spokesman of the Military Taskforce responsible for the maintenance of peace in the state, code-named Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major Ishaku Takwa, also confirmed the incident to journalists, but could not ascertain the casualty figure.
“We are aware of an incident in Wase, but I cannot confirm any casualty.
“Our troops repelled the attack, our men moved to Gajin Bashar community after receiving distress calls of an attack, that’s all I can say for now”, he explained.
