The remains of sixteen out of the 17 persons killed in the recent attack in Kochu village of Akwanga Local government area of Nasarawa have been laid to rest in a mass burial in the community Wednesday.

These victims of the attack were committed to mother earth after the performance of Christian rites.

One of the deceased, who is Muslim, had already been buried according to Islamic rites on Monday, a day after the killings.

The funeral rites on Wednesday was conducted by the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN of Akwanga local government area of the state.

Top government functionaries led by the state deputy governor Mr. Silas Agara, were part of those present for the funeral rites.

The Deputy Governor who stood in for Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura at the ceremony decried with dismay the unwanted and unprovoked killings of the innocent citizens by unknown gunmen in parts of the state.

He assured the people that a security base will soon be established in the affected communities of Akwanga local government area to enable security personnel drafted to the area secure lives and property of the people and to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out.

The Deputy Governor used the medium to condole with the Mada traditional council and Akwanga local government area for the monumental loss. He called on the people to be law abiding and to accept the scenario as the will of God.

In separate remarks, the chairman of Akwanga local government council Mr. Samuel Meshi and the Chun Mada Mr. Samson Gamu Yare both expressed sadness about the incidence and called on the federal government to take proactive measures towards ending the killings in the country.

The deceased were buried in a mass grave after their bodies were moved from the Akwanga General Hospital mortuary to the village for final internment. It was a moment of despair for family members, relatives, friends and other sympathizers who couldn’t hold back their tears.