By John Ikani
Mass burials have taken place in Nigeria’s Plateau state for dozens of victims of Sunday’s deadly attacks in several villages.
Bandits on motorcycles attacked Kanam villages in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday and reportedly killed 80 persons, abducted 70 and razed 100 homes.
The villages include Kukawa, Gyanbahu, Dungur and Keram where many people were killed and many others injured.
It was gathered government and business activities in the council area were paralysed on Monday as people abandoned work to pay their last respect to the victims.
As the victims were being buried in mass graves, people were still searching for more bodies outside the villages where the attacks took place.
Most of the dead were young men and children. Many of them were shot dead as they tried to escape the attacks.
The bandits also set over 100 houses ablaze and destroyed the telecom mast to make it difficult for the people to call for help.
Survivors have complained that it took the security forces nearly 24 hours to arrive in the villages after the attacks. More security forces have now been deployed.
Nigeria is grappling with a wave of violence by armed gangs who frequently carry out killings and kidnappings for ransom – mostly in unprotected rural communities.
Meanwhile, Governor Simon Bako Lalong has directed security forces in the state to go after the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
The governor in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Simon, vowed to make it difficult for terrorists and other criminals to set their bases in any part of the state.
He also directed the state emergency management agency and the Peace Building Agency to immediately visit the areas, assess the situation and provide relief as well as trauma management to the people.
