by Adeola Balogun

Renewed clashes in Plateau have reportedly left 5 persons dead and not less than 200 homes destroyed.

The incident occurred yesterday in Kuka village within the Shendam Local Government Area of the state.

The violence was attributed to conflicts between the Tarok community in Langtang South Local Government and the Gomai community of Shendam Local Government.

Nigerian Eye reports:

Sources from southern Plateau said over 300 attackers stormed Kuka village with sophisticated weapons shooting and burning houses.

Shendam is in the southern part of the state and about 300 kilometres from Jos.

A resident, Abdullahi Ragmin, who is Gommai, confirmed that the attackers burnt 200 houses and shot five persons.

He listed the victims as: Malam Inuwa (60), Yakubu Kaura (43), Alhassan Abdullahi (50), Abdullahi Dungu (35).

Abdurrahman, he said, sustained a fractured arm and Musa dan Union was shot in the abdomen.

It was gathered that the attackers outnumbered the policemen at Kuka.

The attackers allegedly burnt houses and mosque and shot at people but 30 minutes later military reinforcement came from Taraba State, which borders Kuka.

Police spokesman Felicia Anslem confirmed the incident.

She said five people were killed when the attackers stormed the village.

But the Media and Information Officer, Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crises, ‘operation Safe Haven’, Capt Salisu Mustapha, confirmed two deaths.

He said: “The attackers were estimated to be about 100, they burnt houses but they were repelled. Calm has returned.”