Three fleeing cattle rustlers in plateau state have been apprehended after they killed people while trying to escape with the cows they stole

Gunmen, who were making their escape after rustling some cows in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State, have reportedly killed twelve people in a neighbouring Mangu Local Government Area of the state.

The PUNCH gathered on Thursday that the incident happened on Wednesday night .

The Police Public Relations Officer in Plateau State, Mr Mathias Tyopev, who confirmed the incident told our Correspondent in Jos on Thursday that the Commissioner of Police has deployed top officers of the Command to the affected areas.

Mathias said, “Yes, it is true. We received information of cattle rustling and killing of people in some areas in Mangu.

“As I talk to you right now, the Commissioner of Police has deployed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to the affected communities. He is still there right now.

“I can not speak further on the matter because his assessment of the situation will form the basis of our report and information we will give out.”

However, some villagers who claimed to have witnessed the incident told our Correspondent in Jos on Thursday that the fleeing rustlers killed the victims in Kerang and Konbun communities of Mangu where they were accosted by the youths in the areas.

According to them, the youths however succeeded in arresting three of the gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen and also recovered the rustled cows.

One of the villagers, Mr Michael Joshua, who narrated how the victims were killed by the gunmen, said those arrested in connection with the killing had been taken to Kerang police station together with the rustled cows.

Joshua said, “What happened was that some gunmen had gone to Pankshin yesterday (Wednesday night) and stole many of their cows. While escaping with the cows, at Kerang, the youths and the vigilante groups who had been mobilized tried to stop them.

“In the process, the gunmen killed one person and fled leaving the rustled cows. Unfortunately, they attacked another community in Kulben and killed eleven people before making their final escape. But three of them were arrested by the youths and taken to the Kerang police station together with the rustled cows.”

Source:Punch

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