The death toll from the recent wave of attacks in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State has climbed to 52, according to local authorities, following the recovery of 40 additional bodies between Wednesday and Thursday night.
Farmasum Fuddang, Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC) Vanguard, confirmed that 31 victims were given a mass burial on Thursday, while five underaged children were burnt to ashes in Hurti village. Eleven others were reportedly killed in Ruwi, four in Manguna, and one in Daffo village.
Search and rescue efforts remain ongoing, particularly in the Hurti and Mbar areas, where some residents are still unaccounted for.
The Plateau State Government has strongly condemned the attacks and urged calm as security operations intensify across the affected communities. In a statement on Friday, Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, described the renewed violence as a significant setback to the security gains made in the region.
“Security agencies have been deployed and are currently dominating the affected areas to restore order as swiftly as possible,” Ramnap said, noting that several arrests have already been made, which may aid further investigations and help prevent further violence.
She called on residents to avoid retaliatory actions, emphasizing the government’s commitment to peace and justice. Ramnap also stressed the need for improved intelligence sharing and urged traditional, religious, and community leaders to continue promoting peace and lawful conduct.
This latest violence comes amid heightened tensions in Plateau State, which has witnessed repeated cycles of inter-communal conflict. During Christmas 2023, about 200 people were killed in coordinated attacks on Christian communities. Just months earlier, in May, around 40 people were killed in a similar assault in Wase, further underscoring the region’s fragile security landscape.
The government has promised to strengthen its collaboration with security agencies and community stakeholders to ensure a return to lasting peace in the area.