At least seven persons were killed late Friday night in Bong village, in the Doemak District of Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State, in an attack reportedly carried out against fellow Christians residents by criminals operating within the community.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the community late at night while residents were asleep in an attempt to rustled their livestock.

A native of the area, Mr. Lawrence Dogari, said that many villagers were injured in the attack, while some persons were still missing.

“For now, I can confirm that over seven persons have been killed, while several others were injured. Some people are still unaccounted for,” Dogari said.

Confirming the incident, Mr Danaan Cletus Sylvanus, Director of Press and Publicity to the Executive Chairman of Qua’an-Pan Local Government Council, Mr Christopher Audu Manship, said the exact number of casualties was still being verified.

He said the council chairman had condemned the attack and was working closely with security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators were arrested and brought to justice.

“The chairman is deeply saddened by the attack on innocent persons and is collaborating with security operatives to ensure the culprits are brought to book,” Sylvanus said.

Meanwhile, sources at the Plateau State Police Command said the incident was linked to a cattle-rustling attempt carried out by criminal elements operating within the area.

According to a police sources, at about 4:20 a.m. on Jan. 2, unknown armed men invaded Bong/Kook village in Qua’an-Pan LGA and rustled some cows. It said that operatives of the police, military, NSCDC and vigilante groups were mobilised to the area following a distress call.

The sources said that two of the assailants were killed in a bid to escape, but later abandoned the rustled cows and fled.

“The rustled cows have been recovered, while the corpses of the deceased were deposited at the Cottage Hospital morgue in Kwalla for autopsy,” the police sources said, adding that additional security deployment had been made to the area. (Zagazola, but headline rejigged)