10 killed in Nigeria central north village attack

Up to 10 persons have been confirmed dead on Thursday by central north Nigeria's Plateau state government following an attack by unknown gunmen on Mavo village in Wase Local Government Area. State commissioner for information and communication Abraham Yiljap made this known to reporters in Jos, the state capital, saying the government was very sad because that incident came up when they were at the verge of restoring permanent peace on the Plateau. "We got a casualty figure of less than 10 but the security operatives will continue to check around in affected areas," he added. He said the Special Task Force (STF) had also discussed with stakeholders on ways to ensure lasting peace to the hitherto quiet area. Yiljap cautioned Plateau citizens against violence, pointing out that such acts would not help in resolving differences. He advised people to take advantage of current channels of communication and peace building to express their grievances so as to reach agreements toward permanent stability. Plateau State is situated in Nigeria's middle belt where the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-majority south meet. The state capital Jos was plunged in a pool of blood on March 7, 2010, when members of local Muslim and Christian communities fought each other in revenge for previous killings. The state has recently witnessed some bomb blasts and constant rifts between Berom and Fulani herdsmen, with many, especially women and children, murdered in cold blood in the state.