By Golok Nanmwa, JOS

Terrorists stormed Mbwelle village in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State late Thursday night, killing no fewer than eight persons in a sporadic shooting that lasted close to an hour.

Our correspondent gathered that most of the victims were members of the same family.

The attack occurred around 11pm when the assailants invaded the community and opened fire indiscriminately on residents, leaving about three persons injured while some community members are still missing.

Those confirmed dead include Elder Iliya Mangut Dakus, Mr. Luck Titus Dakus, Mr. Habila Istifanu Dakus, Mr. Hassan Istifanus Dakus, Mrs. Hassan Moses Dakus, Biggie Lucky Dakus, Sunday Gideon Dakus, and Mr. Innocent Barnabas Makwin.

The Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos Local Government Area, Kefas Mallai, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, said the attack has created tension in the community.

“The community is very close to Bokkos town.”

“The attack lasted for several hours with no visible security presence to repel the attackers,” he alleged.

Mallai added that locals are angry over the failure of security operatives to protect them and are planning to protest.

He further alleged that security forces did not respond despite the proximity of the area and that personnel are currently deployed to protect a specific community suspected by natives of Bokkos to be the origin of the attackers.

Christopher Luka, Youth Leader of Bokkos, also confirmed the incident, describing it as “a sad and devastating assault on the people of Bokkos and Plateau State as a whole.”

“The gunmen came around 11pm and started shooting sporadically.”

They targeted one family mostly. We have eight confirmed dead, some seriously injured, and others still unaccounted for,” Luka said.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Plateau State Police Command spokesman, DSP Alfred Alabo, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.