At least 19 people, including women and children, have been killed in fresh attacks by gunmen on two communities in Plateau State. The assaults took place on Thursday night in Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas.
In Bokkos LGA, the attackers stormed Jwan village in Tangur district around 8 p.m., shooting at residents and breaking into homes. Chairman of Community Peace Observers in Bokkos, Mr. Kefas Mallai, said 13 people were confirmed dead, mostly women and children who were unable to escape.
“The people were just in their homes when the attackers came with guns and started shooting. The men tried to defend the village but the attackers were heavily armed,” Mallai said. He added that the gunmen fled before security agents arrived.
Chairman of Bokkos LGA, Amalau Amalau, also confirmed the killings. He said survivors were receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and other health facilities.
“We’ve reported the matter to security agencies. It’s unfortunate that our people keep going through this,” Amalau stated.
In a similar attack the same night, six people were killed in Chakfem village, Mangu LGA. Vice Chairman of the Mwaghavul Youths Development Association, Panam Madugu, said the attackers arrived around 8 p.m., killed six residents, and escaped before any security response.
“They just came at night, opened fire, and left. We’ve informed the authorities,” Madugu said.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sunday Abdu, said his team had been dispatched to Bokkos to assess the situation.
The latest attacks have added to the growing concern over insecurity in Plateau State, where several communities have suffered repeated raids by armed groups. Residents are calling on the government to strengthen security and ensure justice for the victims.
