Another Bloody Evening in Plateau State as 14 Marketgoers, Including Children, Are Ambushed and K!lled in Bokkos

 

A fresh wave of bloodshed has struck Plateau State, leaving at least 14 people dead in what many residents now call yet another dark chapter in the long-running tale of violence that plagues the region. The victims, which included women and children, were reportedly on their way home from the weekly market in Bokkos town when gunmen ambushed their vehicle along the Chirang Road in the Mangor District of Bokkos Local Government Area.

What began as a routine trip ended in a night of horror, sending shockwaves through communities already weary from repeated attacks. According to eyewitness accounts, the attack happened swiftly and without warning. The assailants, believed to be heavily armed, blocked the road before opening fire on the unsuspecting travelers.

Local authorities and emergency responders who arrived at the scene described a disturbing sight, with charred and bullet-ridden remains lying along the roadside. Survivors and residents nearby were left in fear and disbelief. Some reported hearing gunshots ring through the hills long after the attackers had fled.

This latest incident marks yet another escalation in the volatile security atmosphere that has persisted for years across Plateau State, especially in rural communities like Bokkos. The growing frequency of such attacks has stirred public anger and renewed calls for better protection of citizens, particularly in remote areas where security presence remains thin.

Farmasum Fuddang, Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Forum (BCDF), condemned the killings in a strongly worded statement released shortly after the attack. He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and frustration over what he described as repeated failures by the government and security agencies to prevent such acts of violence.

“These attacks keep happening despite all the talks of peace and reconciliation,” said Fuddang. “Our people cannot continue living like this. The victims this time included women and even babies. This is not just violence; it is an assault on our humanity.”

He further alleged that a particular ethnic group was behind the attack, accusing them of orchestrating a systematic campaign of terror aimed at displacing indigenous communities and taking over their ancestral lands.

“They want to seize control of the entire Bokkos Local Government Area, which is well known as Nigeria’s potato hub. This is a calculated plan,” Fuddang stated.

Locals echoed his sentiments, saying that farmlands have increasingly come under threat from outsiders seeking to dominate the territory. They cited numerous past incidents in which villages were either attacked or forced to abandon their homes due to fear.

Residents who spoke anonymously to avoid reprisals described a worsening sense of insecurity and abandonment. “You can’t go to the farm or even to the market without wondering if you’ll return alive,” said one community member. “We are tired of burying our loved ones.”

Civil society organizations and local leaders have repeatedly warned that if the pattern continues unchecked, it could lead to mass displacement and long-term destabilization of the entire region.

The Plateau State Government has not yet issued an official statement regarding the latest incident. However, security agencies are reported to have launched an investigation, and patrols have been increased in surrounding communities. Still, many residents remain skeptical of any promises of safety.

Human rights groups have urged the federal government to take more decisive steps in addressing the root causes of these conflicts, which are often linked to land ownership disputes, ethnic tensions, and weak law enforcement mechanisms.

Despite repeated efforts at peacebuilding, including community dialogues and intervention by religious leaders, the cycle of violence appears far from over. Many say they are losing faith in these efforts, as each reconciliation initiative is followed by another round of attacks.

While the victims of the latest tragedy are mourned by their families and communities, the question that continues to haunt Plateau residents is chillingly simple: how many more lives must be lost before real security takes hold?

For now, the people of Bokkos and surrounding areas live in uncertainty, clinging to hope but burdened with fear, as they await justice for the slain and protection for the living.