STF destroys armoury, says 28 not 400 killed in Plateau

The Special Task Force in Plateau has confirmed that 28 people and not 400 as speculated were killed in a confrontation between some soldiers and militiamen in Kadarko district of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

STF spokesman, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, told our correspondent in Jos on Monday that the military also destroyed an armoury used  by the militiamen in Kadarko.

Iweha, while giving an update on the military campaigns to flush out the militia out of the area, said the soldiers had succeeded in flushing the militiamen who had been terrorising people along the Plateau-Taraba border, adding that normalcy had been restored to the embattled communities.

The STF spokesman faulted reports that 400 people were killed in the attack said to be a reprisal by the military over the killing of six soldiers.

He said the soldiers were still stationed in Kadarko protecting lives and property of the residents.

'The incident actually started on April 28, when the militia ambushed and killed six soldiers. The manner these soldiers were killed were dehumanising because their eyes were plucked out, heads decapitated and several parts of their body severed and this prompted the 3 Armourd Division and STF to carry out an operation to flush out these militiamen.

'We have now completed the exercise and calm has been restored to the area. We implore residents to cooperate with security men by giving us useful information that can help us do the job,' he said.

Iweha also gave an update in the attack by suspected herdsmen in two villages in Barakin Ladi.

He explained that it was a reprisal against the theft of about 400 cows by some suspected cow thieves, adding that more than 300 of the animals were recovered and handed back to their owners.

He alleged that the cows were stolen in Jos East and suspected to have taken to Barakin Ladi, prompting the herdsmen to launch series of attacks to recover the cows.

It could be recalled that Soldiers, said to be on reprisal  in over 40 trucks, were said to have arrived in the villages on Saturday  following reports  of alleged killing of six  soldiers at Angwan Nanmi in Karin Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.

Traditional ruler of Kadarko, Chief Lot Nde, said about 39 people were killed when the soldiers invaded three villages of Kadarko, Kurmi and Wadata  in Wase LGA.