At least 22 people, including farmers, health workers and security personnel, were killed in an attack on Kawel village in Mushere District of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday night.

The attack occurred around 11.30pm while residents were asleep, according to the Bokkos Youth Leader, Christopher Luka.

Luka, who confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, described the attack as unprovoked and called on the government to take decisive action to prevent further violence.

The latest attack happened barely five days after the District Head of Gwande, Saf Samuel Alaket, was killed in an ambush along the Sha District axis bordering Daffo community while returning from a traditional council meeting in Bokkos.

Narrating the incident, Luka said gunmen stormed Kawel village and opened fire indiscriminately, killing residents and injuring several others.

“As soon as I received the information, I alerted security personnel in Bokkos, and they confirmed they had also been notified,” he said.

A Red Cross official involved in the emergency response told Daily Trust that the attackers also targeted the village’s primary healthcare centre, where health workers on duty and some patients receiving treatment were killed.

The official, who requested anonymity, said both civilians and security personnel were among those confirmed dead, while several others sustained gunshot and machete injuries.

“Survivors were evacuated for medical attention, while severely wounded victims were moved to healthcare facilities in Bokkos and Mangu local government areas for advanced treatment,” the official said.

He added that many residents had fled to neighbouring communities following the attack, while several houses and food storage facilities were destroyed or set ablaze.

Luka later confirmed that the death toll had risen from 18 to 22.

“I visited the community and saw the situation firsthand. So far, 22 people, including women, have been confirmed dead,” he said.

The Plateau State Government condemned the attack, describing it as a heinous and senseless act of violence.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, Governor Caleb Mutfwang directed security agencies to intensify operations, track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

The government also ordered emergency agencies to provide immediate relief to affected families and urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies and avoid reprisal attacks.

Security beefed up in attacked village

The Plateau State Police Command said it has deployed security personnel to restore law and order in the area.

SP Alabo Alfred, the command’s spokesperson, in a statement, said: “Eighteen (18) persons were confirmed dead at the scene of the attack, while three (3) others were rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

“Subsequently, two (2) of the injured victims were confirmed dead by a medical doctor, bringing the total number of casualties to twenty (20). The remains of the victims have since been released to their families for burial, as the families declined autopsy.”

SP Alfred said as part of measures to prevent any further escalation and forestall a recurrence of the incident, the Commissioner of Police had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, and the Area Commander, Pankshin, to relocate to the affected area and coordinate an on-ground security operation.

He has also deployed additional tactical teams and personnel of the Police Mobile Force to the area to de-escalate tension, restore confidence, and commence an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators.

Over 80 killed since Tinubu’s pledge to end Plateau attacks

Despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to end the cycle of killings in Plateau State, more than 80 people have been killed in fresh attacks across several communities since his visit to the state in April.

President Tinubu visited Plateau on April 2 to sympathise with victims and families affected by the March 29 attack on Anguwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, where 28 people were killed and several others injured. The victims included students, a corps member, traders and passersby.

During a town hall meeting with stakeholders, the president assured residents that his administration would not allow continued attacks on innocent civilians.

“There is nothing I can give you, whether in billions, that can replace the lives lost. But we will do everything possible to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again,” he said.

He also promised the deployment of a 5,000-camera surveillance network across Jos.

However, fresh attacks were recorded barely two days after the visit.

On April 5 and 6, four people, including three farmers and a herder, were killed in separate attacks in Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs.

On April 6, three more herders were killed and five were injured in other attacks in Barkin Ladi.

A day later, gunmen ambushed and killed Badung Sunday Alamba, a 300-level student of the Federal University of Education, Pankshin, in Dum village, Riyom LGA.

Between April 8 and 12, attacks claimed more lives in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos and Bassa LGAs. Victims included farmers, miners and herders.

On April 10, eight people were killed and four were injured in Vole community of Bokkos LGA.

Violence continued on April 19 when six farmers were killed and eight others injured in attacks on communities in Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs.

A week later, a herder was killed and 21 cattle were shot in Diyan village, Riyom.

On April 27, gunmen attacked Gako village in Riyom LGA, killing a pastor and three members of his family.

The killings persisted into May. On May 4, five farmers were killed in Fan District of Barkin Ladi LGA. Three days later, 13 people lost their lives when gunmen attacked Ngbra Zongo community in Bassa LGA.

On May 9, separate attacks in Barkin Ladi claimed the lives of at least 11 people, including three herders and eight farmers, while several others sustained injuries.

The continued attacks have heightened concerns among residents, many of whom said the security situation has changed little despite assurances from the federal government.

BYM, MACBAN seek lasting peace

Leaders of both farming and herding communities in Plateau State have expressed concern that President Tinubu’s recent pledge to end the killings in the state has yet to translate into improved security on the ground.

The spokesperson of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), Rwang Tengwong, described the president’s assurance as a political statement that has not produced tangible results.

He said attacks have continued almost daily since the president’s visit.

To us in BYM, the promise has remained a statement because attacks have continued. Since the president left, people have been killed in different communities, and the security situation has not improved,” he said.

Tengwong questioned how attackers continue to operate freely despite the presence of security checkpoints, noting that some attacks occurred in broad daylight and near major roads.

He said the violence, which has persisted for more than two decades, requires a more proactive approach focused on identifying and dismantling the networks behind the attacks.

“Our leaders must go beyond making statements and take concrete actions that will end the killings,” he added.

Similarly, the Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, said while the president’s visit was welcome, lasting peace could only be achieved through collective commitment from all stakeholders.

“The president has a role to play, but peace cannot come through government efforts alone. Community leaders, religious leaders, groups and residents must also commit themselves to peaceful coexistence,” he said.

Babayo noted that insecurity has affected both farmers and herders, restricting movement and livelihoods across several communities.

“People cannot move wherever they want. Attacks are everywhere. These problems must be addressed within and not outside.

“Of course, the President has his role in ensuring peace; it must be collaborative. Even if the president comes more than 100 times, if the people are not committed to peace, the problem cannot be solved,” he added.

A security analyst and Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), C Division, Abdullahi Aliyu Bako, blamed the recurring attacks on security lapses and the failure to act on intelligence reports.

He said security information is often ignored until attacks occur, stressing that effective intelligence gathering and prompt response remain critical to preventing future violence.

“Security agencies must take early warning signs seriously. No society can effectively tackle insecurity if intelligence is not acted upon,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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