The Special Task Force (STF) maintaining peace in Plateau State has confirmed the death of 11 people during an attack by cow thieves at Pandadi Village in Barkinladi Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
The STF Commander, Major General David Enetie, who confirmed the incident in Jos, also confirmed the killing of five of the attackers by the STF.
Mr. Enetie said that the cattle rustlers, who hit the village in the morning, killed eight members of one family and two others while a neighbour, who came out to assist the victims, was also killed.
It was reported that the attack took place between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m. in Bakin Kogi, Forum district of Barkinladi.
The family mainly affected was that of a cattle owner, Tsok Gwom, who was also killed by the attackers.
While residents told newsmen that a reprisal attack by members of the vigilante in the community led to the death of some of the over 30 attackers, Mr. Enetie said that STF operatives, who rushed to the scene of the incident, killed five of the suspected cattle rustlers.
The commander said that the corpses of the five suspected cattle rustlers had been deposited at the Mangu Police Station, while those of the 11 villagers had been taken to Plateau State Specialist Hospital.
He explained that the incident was not part of any crisis.
"What happened here was not crisis, it was a clear case of cow theft by a group of cattle rustlers," he said.
Mr. Enetie said that the cow thieves rustled 20 cows but could not escape with their loot after the STF's quick intervention.
He commended the intelligence unit of the STF for its timely information that enabled his men to quickly storm the scene of the incident; calling for more information from members of the public to enable the STF rid the state of criminals.
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