By Taye Obateru
Hoodlums went on a fresh rampage in Plateau State Friday, killing seven  people including women and children during an attack on Nwachukwu village in Kwal, Bassa Local Government area of the State.

Four others were injured and are now hospitalized at the Jos University Teaching Hospital where they are said to be responding to treatment.

It was learnt that the hoodlums whose motive could not be immediately ascertained attacked the village around 2.30 am attacking the villagers who were asleep with guns, daggers and other dangerous weapons.

Although members of the Special Task Force (STF) maintaining security in the state were alerted, the attackers had finished and escaped before they got there.

Commander of the task force, Brigadier General Hassan Umoru who confirmed the attack to journalists said locating the exact place and the terrain made it difficult to get to the scene on time.

He said his men gave the attackers a hot chase but did not get any of the assailants assuring that efforts were on to track them down.

It was learnt that the villagers seized one of the soldiers who went to the scene as he was considered a kindred of the attackers and it took prolonged appeals to secure his release.

Those slain who were said to include two men, five women and children were given a mass burial on Friday at the village.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdulrahman Akano who also confirmed the incident assured that the police were working with other security agencies to nip such incidents in the bud.

He said the police would step up investigation into this and similar attacks with a view to getting to the root and appeal to the people to remain calm and not to take the laws into their hands.

The latest attack is said to be the fifth on villages in Jos South and Bassa local government areas within two months raising concerns over the level of security in the state.

But both the police commissioner and the STF commander assured that no effort would be spared to get to the root of the attacks with a view to bringing perpetrators to book.