10 killed in central Nigeria attack

At least 10 people were killed and two others injured after a midweek attack in Nigeria's central Plateau state, local police said Thursday, reported Xinhua.

The attackers hit the Kwashalek community in the Mangu local government area of Plateau between Tuesday and Wednesday, razing at least 10 houses in the process, Alfred Alabo, spokesman for the state police, told reporters in the capital of Jos on Thursday.

"So far, over 10 corpses have been recovered from various locations in the Mangu area," Alabo said, adding the motive of the attack is not yet known.

The latest attack followed a series of killings in Plateau during the Christmas season which left dozens dead and injured.

Mangu is one of the frequently attacked towns in Nigeria's Plateau, which is situated in Nigeria's middle belt where the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-majority south meet.

Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), a socio-cultural group in Mangu, said in a statement Wednesday that it had identified at least 30 people killed in the attack.

While calling for an end to the hostility, the MDA's national president Joseph Gwankat said the majority of the dead victims were women and children.

Meanwhile, the police have identified at least nine of the suspected attackers during an operation to restore normalcy in Mangu.

Alabo told reporters that arms were also recovered from the suspected gunmen by the security operatives deployed to the area on Wednesday.

State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has urged security agencies to be more proactive toward safeguarding people's lives and property while condemning the recent killings.

Plateau has witnessed almost constant rifts between local farmers and Fulani herdsmen. Many, including women and children, have been killed in previous attacks.