Tragedy struck Zurak Kompani and Bandalala communities in Bashar District, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State as bandits unleashed terror, claiming the lives of over 40 individuals, according to reports.
Residents of Wase recounted the harrowing events that unfolded on Monday night when bandits descended on the villages. In a coordinated assault, they set homes ablaze, plunging the communities into chaos, resulting in fatalities and injuries among the residents.
Kompani Zurak bore the brunt of the violence, with over thirty casualties reported, while another ten lives were tragically lost in Bandalala. Many others are still unaccounted for as residents fled to neighboring villages seeking safety.
Survivors and the injured have been receiving treatment in various health facilities, with some seeking refuge in Wase and nearby villages.
Security agencies are yet to issue statements regarding the attacks, and the state government’s response remains awaited.
This incident compounds the ongoing wave of violence in Plateau State, which has been grappling with recurrent clashes. Plateau’s geographical position, straddling the divide between Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north and largely Christian south, has made it susceptible to intercommunal tensions.
Previous raids in December resulted in fatalities and mass displacements, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The root causes of conflicts in Nigeria’s North-West and North-Central regions often revolve around disputes over land between nomadic herders and sedentary farmers. These tensions, aggravated by population growth and environmental challenges, have escalated into widespread criminal activities.
The United Nations World Food Programme has expressed concerns over the escalating insecurity, warning that it could exacerbate hunger levels across the country, compounding the challenges posed by inflation and climate change.
