The police on Tuesday confirmed five persons were killed in an attack allegedly by an ethnic militia on travellers in Bali village of Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Four other victims survived the attack with injuries and have been taken to a hospital, the police said.

Police spokesperson in the state, Othman Abubakar, said the travellers were on their way to Jalingo but were ambushed by the militia along Numan-Kpasham road late Monday evening.

Mr Abubakar, however, called for calm, adding that the police had commenced an investigation into the incident.

"They were attacked late evening by some militia along Numan Kpasham road who ran away after the heinous act and before the arrival of our men stationed at Bidoma outpost.

"We are doing everything to bring the suspects to book," he said and pleaded against reprisal "as two wrongs don't make a right,"

A local farmer in the area who spoke with our reporter on phone said, "some angry youth accosted the travellers, alleging that they were planning to attack their village and descended on them, killing five and injuring four others."

The farmer, who asked not to be named, said seven other persons were missing after the attack.

"All effort to save the travellers from the youth by our village head in Kpasham was in vain.

"Travellers had abandoned this road for long due to such attacks, until recently when assurance came that things have normalised. But here we are again," he said.

Meanwhile, officials of Adamawa State Muslim Council have visited the area to evacuate the dead who are Muslims for burial.