At least 70 members of a vigilante group were killed on Monday after bandits ambushed them in Kukawa and Bunyun communities in the Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Chairman of the vigilante group in Kukawa, Aliyu Baffa, confirmed the incident, stating that the attack occurred when a combined team of vigilantes from different formations in Wase LGA was on its way to locate suspected bandit hideouts.
According to Baffa, the vigilantes walked into an ambush set up by the armed bandits near Kukawa town, where they came under heavy gunfire. He said over 70 of the men were killed on the spot.
“The clash occurred just a kilometre from Kukawa, as our team headed to a known hideout inside the government reserve forest, popularly called Madam Forest, which borders Bauchi and Taraba States,” Baffa said.
He added that a mass burial was conducted for the deceased by evening, but many members remain missing and could still be in the bush.
“We have buried more than 70 in Kukawa alone, but more bodies may still be found. Our men were overwhelmed by the bandits who carried superior weapons,” he said.
In a related development, a resident of Bunyun village, Musa Ibrahim, confirmed that 10 other vigilante members were also killed in his community during the attack. He said the bandits destroyed several houses while terrorizing residents.
