7 die in fresh communal violence in Nigeria

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Seven persons were killed and four injured in a reprisal attack in Nwachukwu village in Bassa
local council in Nigeria's northern Plateau state Friday, the local press reported, quoting Brig.-Gen. Hassan Umaru, Commander
of the Special Task Force (STF) keeping the peace in the volatile state.

The reprisal followed the killing of an unidentified man by unknown persons in Gero Village in Jos South local council.

''The attack was carried out at about 2.23hours (about 2.23 a.m.) on Friday (yesterday) December 3, 2010 in which seven people
were killed and four others sustained injuries,” Brig.-Gen. Umaru said.

STF Intelligence Officer, Lt.-Col. Jerry Anyi-Odu, said five of those killed on Friday were women and children,

''The suspects in this fresh attack are not yet known but that will be confirmed by the police investigation. We have already handed over
the investigation to the police because we know they are capable and at the end of their investigation, we will be able to know who
actually carried out the attacks,'' he said.

Ethno-religious violence has flared up intermittently in the state in that past months, pitting itinerant Muslim Fulani herdsmen against
the Christian locals.
-0- PANA SEG 4Dec2010