By Atoyebi Nike
At least 70 members of a local vigilante group have been killed in an ambush by armed bandits in the Kukawa and Bunyun communities of Kanam Local Government Area, Plateau State.
Chairman of the Kukawa vigilante unit, Aliyu Baffa, confirmed the attack, stating it occurred as a combined team of vigilantes from Wase LGA advanced into Madam Forest, a known criminal hideout near the borders of Bauchi and Taraba States.
“The bandits were waiting for us and opened fire with sophisticated weapons. Over 70 of our members were killed instantly,” Baffa said, adding that mass burials were held, though many remain missing or unaccounted for.
In Bunyun village, resident Musa Ibrahim reported that the attackers also killed 10 vigilante members and burned several homes during the raid.
The incident highlights the worsening insecurity in the region, despite ongoing community-led efforts to combat armed banditry.
