Nasarawa Killing: 28 Policemen Found Alive, Death Toll Rises To 43

The police said 93 officers went for the operation.
The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police,
Abayomi Akeremale, has confirmed that 28
policemen have been found alive, following the
attack by a militia group on May 7.
Mr. Akeremale told the News Agency of Nigeria in
Lafia, on Friday that some of the policemen held
hostage by the group during the attack were
released on Friday morning.
He said that 17 corpses of the slain officers were
yet to be recovered, explaining that a total of 93
police men were deployed for the operation out of
which 43 were suspected to have been killed.
The police and the state government have blamed
a group, Ombatse, in Nasarawa for the killings. The
sect members ambushed the security operatives.
Reliable security sources said that 65 security
officials- largely police officers - were killed in the
ambush; a figure which if added to the survivors
gives the 93 Mr. Akeremale said went for the
operation. Many of the victims were later burnt
beyond recognition by the attackers.
The police commissioner said that a suspected
member of the militia had been arrested and was
in police custody, adding that investigations on the
incident were going on.
As at time of filing this report, Mr. Akeremale was
making arrangements to visit the Squadron 38
Mopol Base in Akwanga.
The commissioner said the visit was to appeal to
spouses and children of the slain policemen who
had blocked the Akwanga-Lafia highway in protest
over the killing.