Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
No fewer than 12 persons have been killed in a clash between bandits and vigilantes in Zak community of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.
A youth leader in the community, Mr. Shapi’i Sambo, who confirmed the development, said that the incident occurred about 9am Tuesday, adding that: “The clash left nine bandits and three vigilantes dead.”
According to the youth leader, “The bandits came on motorcycles in their numbers in the morning. We suspected that they passed a night in a bush close to Zak.
“When the people realised that the bandits arrived 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 clash.”
Zak community is about 40 kilometres away from Wase town, the headquarters of Wase LGA.
The spokesman of the military taskforce in Jos (Operation Safe Haven), Major Ishaku Takwa, also confirmed the incident to newsmen, but could not ascertain the casualty figure.
He said that the commander and troops, who repelled the attack, also moved to Gajin Bashar community to fight bandits who had held the community hostage, adding that the soldiers had to move in after receiving distress calls of an attack.
