ABUJA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people were killed after a group of unidentified armed men attacked residents of a community in Nigeria's central Plateau State earlier this week, police said on Tuesday.
Alfred Alabo, spokesman for the police in Plateau State, told Xinhua by telephone that the attackers invaded the Kawel community in Bokkos Local Government Area on Sunday morning, opening fire and attacking residents with machetes before fleeing the scene.
Alabo said 18 people were confirmed dead at the scene, while three others were injured. Two of the injured later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to at least 20.
He said the motive for the attack remained unknown and that police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Plateau State is located in Nigeria's Middle Belt, an area that links the country's predominantly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.
The state has experienced recurring violence in recent years, often involving disputes over land and resources between different communities. ■