Gunmen on Sunday morning ambushed
travellers along Arikye Village in
Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area,
killing at least 32 of them, according to
body counts done by premium times.
Governor Tanko Al-Makura
The victims, who had been displaced from their
homes due to the violence in the state, were said
to be returning when the attack occurred.
Governor Umaru Al-Makura had last week visited
the displaced persons camps and asked them to
go home. The governor said the state
government was working with security agencies
to improve the security situation as well as
provide relief materials.
The Nasarawa State Police Public Relations
Officer, Ismaila Numan, confirmed Sunday’s
attack but said the details and casualty were yet
to be ascertained.
A witness, Bala Mohammad, told PREMIUM
TIMES that the attackers divided themselves into
groups and ensured no one escaped.
“We were at the farm when we continued to hear
gun shots, so we hid and watched them execute
our brothers without help,” he said.
“They will ask if you are an Eggon by tribe. If
you say yes, they will allow you to go, but
unknown to the victims, another group was
waiting in the middle.
“Those ones were just shooting at sight
whenever they discovered that some people were
coming,” he added.
Thousands of people have been killed in ethno-
religious crisis in North-Central states of
Nasarawa, Plateau, and Benue, as well as
neighbouring Taraba State in the past year.
The violence there is different from the Boko
Haram insurgency which has killed over 13,000
people mainly in the North Eastern part of
Nigeria.
- premium times.
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