About 400 corpses from the Sunday massacre were given mass burial at Dogon Na Hauwa village in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State amid tears and wailings yesterday according to the Vanguard newspaper.

This emerged as, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, said there was no alternative to dialogue in resolution of conflicts. He spoke at a peace conference on the recurring crisis in Jos.

Strong stench of decomposing human bodies permeated the air as the bodies were removed from the truck which conveyed them to the burial site. An elderly man collapsed and had to be revived on sighting the bodies lined up in the mass grave. He was later led away from the scene by some of his relations, according to the report.

The burial was preceded by a funeral service at the village square where various clerics preached on the need for all to accept what has happened as the will of God.

State Commissioner for Works and Transport who headed the Rescue and Recovery Committee said three mass graves were dug for the bodies.

He said about 380 were being buried at Dogon Na Hauwa while about 36 corpses would be buried in the two other graves. According to him, some of the bereaved made their own burial arrangements.

Meanwhile the Plateau State Police Command said that about 96 persons had been arrested over the massacre, with the Police spokesman, Mohammed Lerama, indicating in a statement, that four of the fleeing Fulanis were shot dead by the security men.