At least 35 killed in gunmen attack in central Nigeria

LAGOS, August 26 : At least 35 people were killed in a fresh gunmen attack in Nigeria's central state of Plateau on Tuesday night, a police source said on Wednesday.

A police source told Xinhua on the phone at least 35 villagers were killed in the gunmen attack on the Yelwa Zangam village in Jos North local government area on Tuesday night, as he saw residents of the village took corpses of those killed in the attack to the state house of assembly in Jos, the state capital on wednesday.

Simon Lalong, governor of the Plateau state, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday the gunmen attack on the Yelwa Zangam village on Tuesday night, leading to villagers killed and properties destroyed.

Lalong described the attack as a "barbaric" act, adding security agencies had already arrested 10 suspects in connection with the attack and efforts were ongoing to track down the other assailants.

The governor did not reveal the casualties in the attack, and said he was reinstating a 24-hour curfew from 4 p.m. on Wednesday in Jos North local government area to prevent further attacks.

"It will also enable security agencies to deploy appropriately to maintain security as they search for the attackers of the villagers continues," he said.

The state had only recently relaxed a curfew imposed in the same area after a convoy of five buses with Muslim followers were attacked by armed men along Rukuba road of the area on August 14, leading to 22 persons killed.

There have been a series of gunmen attacks in Nigeria in recent months, leading to deaths and kidnappings.