At least 16 people were confirmed dead and over 20 houses destroyed following coordinated attacks on two separate local government areas in Plateau State on Thursday night, according to local officials and community leaders.
Eyewitnesses reported that heavily armed assailants invaded Juwan village in the Tungur District of Bokkos Local Government Area at approximately 8:25 p.m. The attackers opened fire indiscriminately and broke into homes, killing 13 people—mostly women and children.
“People were preparing to go to bed when the gunmen struck. Youths in the area attempted to resist but were quickly overpowered,” said Kefas Mallai, chairman of the Community Peace Observers.
Amalau Samuel Amalau, the chairman of Bokkos Local Government Council, confirmed the incident. He stated that the injured victims were receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. He also mentioned that security forces only arrived after the attackers had fled the scene.
Earlier in the day, another armed group targeted Manja community in the Chafem Chiefdom of Mangu Local Government Area around 3:00 p.m. Three residents were killed during the initial assault before local youths and security personnel were able to repel the attackers.
However, the same group returned later that evening and set more than 20 homes ablaze. While no additional deaths were reported in the second wave, many families were forced to flee the area.
Hon. Mathew Kwarpo, who represents Mangu South in the Plateau State House of Assembly, called on the federal government for immediate intervention.
“These attacks are recurring and deliberate. Each time threats are made, they’re eventually carried out. Our security operatives are doing their best, but they’re frequently outnumbered. This appears to be a strategic effort to take over our land,” he said.
Community leaders from both Bokkos and Mangu LGAs have urged President Bola Tinubu and the Plateau State Government to increase security presence in the affected areas. They warned that continued violence could result in large-scale displacement and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
