JTF confirm 13 killed in Potiskum violence, disputes media report.

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe state has disputed media report in one of weekly newspapers that 34 persons were killed in the Potiskum violence that lasted three days.

A statement signed by the JTF spokesman Lieutenant Lazarus Eli described the media report as “disturbing and outrageously misleading capable of causing unnecessary panic among residents of Potiskum town”.

The statement confirmed that 13 people were killed in the attack and gives the breakdown as two serving policemen, a retired policeman and his three children, four civilians a retired custom officer and his son as well as a suspected terrorist.

The bodies of the dead, according to the statement, were deposited at the mortuary of the Potiskum General hospital.

It also revealed that during the attack, five of the terrorists were killed but their bodies were carried away by their members as many more escaped with gunshot injuries pointing out that JTF is searching for the possible discovery of their bodies.

He said the JTF has beef up security in the affected town and calls on residents to report any body with questionable character in their midst and to cooperate with security agents in the search for peace in the state and the country at large.

source:channelstv