Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:
Twenty people were killed in an armed attack targeting a village in Bokos County, Plateau State, in central Nigeria, in the latest wave of sectarian violence plaguing the Middle Belt region, despite repeated security reinforcements and government pledges to stop the bloodshed.
Nigerian police announced on Tuesday that the attack occurred over the weekend, with violent clashes breaking out between security forces and the attackers in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Plateau State Police spokesman Alfred Alabo said that police forces, in cooperation with other security agencies, engaged the gunmen in a "gun battle" before the attackers fled.
18 people killed at the attack site
Alabo explained that 18 people were killed at the scene of the attack, while two others died from their injuries after being taken to the hospital, bringing the total number of victims to 20 dead.
Following the incident, State Police Commissioner Basi Iwah directed the deployment of additional security reinforcements to the area, including tactical and mobile units, in an effort to contain the situation and prevent a recurrence of the attacks.
Plateau State is the region most affected by sectarian violence in Nigeria.
Plateau State is one of the areas most affected by sectarian violence in Nigeria, where for years there have been frequent conflicts between different ethnic and religious groups, resulting in the deaths of hundreds and exacerbating the humanitarian situation.
The continuation of these attacks raises questions about the effectiveness of current security measures, at a time when residents of the area are demanding more decisive action from the authorities to put an end to the ongoing cycle of violence.
