Tragedy struck again in Plateau State as gunmen launched fresh attacks on Bokkos Local Government Area, leaving at least eight people dead, including a clergyman.
The violence began late Sunday night, when armed assailants invaded the Kwakas-Mushere area and killed Pastor Mimang Lekyil of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), who was attacked in his residence. His wife sustained gunshot wounds to the leg and is currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos, Kefas Mallai, said, “The pastor was killed at about 10 p.m. on Sunday. His wife was shot in the leg and rushed to JUTH. His body has been deposited in Luna Hospital mortuary.”
The attack sparked outrage among local youths, who, in a reprisal on Monday afternoon, reportedly set fire to Fulani-owned structures in the community. Security operatives quickly moved in to prevent a wider breakdown of law and order.
However, the tension escalated further later that evening, around 9 p.m., when suspected herders launched a coordinated assault on the nearby Mbor community in Mushere district, killing seven villagers. According to Mallai, security forces were notified, but the attackers had already carried out their operation before help arrived.
“The situation remains tense. With limited security presence, many women and children are fleeing Kopmur and nearby villages for safer areas,” Mallai added. “I have tried reaching the Divisional Police Officer to no avail, though the Divisional Crime Officer confirmed that some security operatives were dispatched.”
In response, Plateau State Police Command spokesman, DSP Alabo Alfred, confirmed the attacks and said that the Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, had ordered the immediate deployment of additional security personnel to the affected areas to restore calm.
This latest violence marks yet another grim chapter in the recurring conflict between farming communities and suspected herders in Plateau, which has claimed hundreds of lives in recent years and displaced many more. Despite efforts by state and federal authorities to end the bloodshed, peace remains elusive in the troubled region.
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