The Special Task Force (STF) maintaining peace in
Plateau State has confirmed the death of 11 people during an attack by cow
thieves at Pandadi Village in Barkinladi Local Government Area of the
state on Thursday.
The STF Commander, Major General David Enetie,
who confirmed the incident in Jos, also confirmed the killing of five of
the attackers by the STF.
Mr. Enetie said that the cattle rustlers, who hit the
village in the morning, killed eight members of one family and two others while
a neighbour, who came out to assist the victims, was also killed.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported the attack with
residents of the community saying it took place between 1:00 and 2:00
a.m. in Bakin Kogi, Forum district of Barkinladi.
The family mainly affected was that of a cattle
owner, Tsok Gwom, who was also killed by the attackers.
While residents told PREMIUM TIMES that a reprisal
attack by members of the vigilante in the community led to the death of some of
the over 30 attackers, Mr. Enetie said that STF operatives, who rushed to the
scene of the incident, killed five of the suspected cattle rustlers.
The commander said that the corpses of the five
suspected cattle rustlers had been deposited at the Mangu Police Station, while
those of the 11 villagers had been taken to Plateau State Specialist
Hospital.
He explained that the incident was not part of
any crisis.
“What happened here was not crisis, it was a
clear case of cow theft by a group of cattle rustlers,” he said.
Mr. Enetie said that the cow thieves rustled 20 cows
but could not escape with their loot after the STF’s quick intervention.
He commended the intelligence unit of the STF
for its timely information that enabled his men to quickly storm the scene
of the incident; calling for more information from members of the
public to enable the STF rid the state of criminals.
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