Osayende Ufuoma Peace, a frozen foods trader has raised alarm and fled Pkateau state over the disappearance of her husband and children.
The mother of two revealed that her husband and children went missing following a late-night attack on Mbwelle village in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau state.
Recall that there have repeated incidences of terrorist atatcks on Christian dominated communities in Northern Nigeria.
Local officials confirmed Osayende’s report on Friday as Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Area, Samuel Amalau, said the victims were unarmed civilians and called on residents to remain alert and cooperate with security agencies by sharing information that could help prevent further attacks.
Residents said the attackers, believed to be members of the Lakurawa group linked to the self-styled Islamic State, moved from house to house, firing shots that sent villagers fleeing into the bush.
According to accounts gathered from the community, some of the gunmen were familiar faces who had previously patronised local traders, including frozen food sellers, raising suspicions that certain residents may have unknowingly interacted with members of the armed group before the massacre.
On the night of the assault, Peace narrated that she stepped outside her home moments before gunfire erupted.
“As panic spread, I ran for safety,” she narrated.
Neighbours also noted stray bullets hit several homes during the attack,homes were burnt with valuables and businesses destroyed in one night suggesting that her children and her husband may have been caught in the shoot-out.
Security operatives have since been deployed to the affected communities, while displaced residents continue to search for missing relatives and bury their dead.
