LAGOS, Feb 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — Nigerian authorities confirmed that eight people have been killed by gunmen at a new cattle market in Nigeria’s southern state of Abia.
Eze Chikamnayo, the state commissioner for information, who confirmed the incident in a statement, condemned the attack.
He said some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked traders at the Omuma-Uzo cattle market on Tuesday at about 11.35 p.m. local time.
The commissioner said the government responded swiftly by mobilizing security agencies to the scene to secure the lives and property of the traders and fish out the assailants.
“We are shocked and saddened by this mindless and barbaric act of violence. We totally condemn this act, together with its wicked perpetrators,” he said.
Chikamnayo added that the government was working assiduously to provide support for the families of the victims of the attack and people who were injured in the attack were being given medical attention.
Separately, a group of unidentified gunmen on Tuesday killed four people in the central Nigeria’s state of Plateau, a military official said Wednesday.
Ishaku Takwa, a military spokesperson in Plateau, who confirmed the incident in a statement, said the incidents occurred in the early and late hours of Tuesday, respectively.
According to him, the military received distress calls, reporting gunmen attacks at a mining site.
“Our troops swiftly responded to both incidents and brought the situation under control,” he added.
“Unfortunately, one person was killed, and another injured at the mining site, and three other people also lost their lives, and two other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries during the attack on commuters,” he said.
Takwa assured the residents of the state that the military and other security agencies would continue to work toward the security and safety of lives and property in the state.
He said an investigation is ongoing, with frantic efforts to arrest the gunmen at large. — NNN-XINHUA