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14 killed in Nigeria gunmen attacks: military

12 October 2012 17:36 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least 14 people were killed in separate attacks by gunmen in Jos, capital of Plateau State, in central Nigeria, the military said Friday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

State spokesperson of the military Special Task Force (STF) Lt. Kingsley Egbo told reporters that the victims were attacked in rural communities in the restive state on Thursday.

"Among those murdered was a 75 year-old woman in Sara village of Riyom local government area. The old woman was killed along with her three children," said the military officer, adding a family of eight was also wiped out at a remote village in the same local government area.

According to Egbo, the military had opened an investigation that will lead to arrest of the gunmen who perpetrated the dastardly act.

He said some herdsmen were arrested in connection to the attacks, following a gun duel with the assailants.

"When we received reports of the attacks, we quickly swung into action and arrested some attackers. We also recovered some of their weapons while many others escaped with gunshot wounds. The suspects are currently being interrogated," he added.

Northern and central parts of Nigeria had recorded so many deaths, following series of attacks by the Islamic Boko Haram sect and herdsmen which seem to have become hard nuts to crack by government of the west African country.

At least 815 persons have been killed in various attacks carried out in the northern and central parts of the country this year, according to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) latest report released on Friday.