Gunmen kill five in fresh attack on Plateau LG

Gunmen launched a fresh attack on Rafut village in the Kwatas district of Bokkos Local Government Area on Monday night, killing five people, according to local sources.

Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen ambushed four young men guarding their families’ homes, killing them instantly. The assailants then entered a nearby compound, where they fatally shot an elderly man before fleeing the area.

The incident occurred shortly after a security meeting with local stakeholders aimed at curbing attacks in the region.

Confirming the attack in a joint statement on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council, Farmasum Fuddang, and the group’s Secretary, Duwam Bosco, described the attack as tragic.

The statement, titled “Another Tragic Attack Claims Five Lives in Bokkos Despite Advance Warnings”, recounted a series of violent incidents in recent weeks that have claimed multiple lives in the area.

“With deep sadness, we wish to report that our communities have once again fallen victim to violence, with five of our members confirmed dead following an attack yesterday October 14. This tragic incident comes on the heels of a week marked by bloody attacks, during which we buried over ten members of our community: five in Wumat on October 7, four in Kuba on October 10, one in Maikatako on October 11, and another on October 12,” the statement read.

The council revealed that earlier warnings about suspicious activities in the area had been ignored.

It also noted that previous attacks in September resulted in the deaths of six people in Daffo on September 3, two in Tarangol, five in Mbar on September 16, and two in Kop Mandarken on September 27.

The council praised the military’s swift response, which led to the rescue of a young victim, Yelwa Sunday Mashat, who sustained severe injuries during the assault. Several suspects were reportedly apprehended, along with large herds of cattle allegedly used to block the escape route.

However, the council expressed frustration over the lack of preventive action despite prior warnings.

“Additionally, we have endured numerous assaults in the previous month, including six fatalities in Daffo on September 3, two in Tarangol on the same day, five in Mbar on September 16 and two in Kop Mandarken on September 27. Despite credible warnings by a reputable media outlet on October 12, terrorists, identified by witnesses as members of the Fulani tribe, launched a brutal attack on the village of Rafut in the Kwatas district shortly after 7 PM on October 14. This unprovoked assault occurred even after a security meeting with police and military authorities in Bokkos on October 13. Four young men, who were out guarding their family’s home, were tragically ambushed as they stood watch.

“The attackers thereafter stormed the compound, killing an elderly man, bringing the total fatalities to five. Just a day prior, another young man was attacked while riding his motorcycle near Maikatako, further highlighting the escalating violence in our region. We commend the swift action taken by the military, which resulted in the rescue of Yelwa Sunday Mashat, who is currently recovering from severe injuries sustained during the attack. We also acknowledge the apprehension of several suspects and large cattle herds they drove into the road to block the victim,” the statement added.

The council, therefore, demanded the urgent establishment of a civilian joint task force to address future occurrences, adding that the absence of such a task force was discouraging community involvement in security efforts, particularly given past incidents where those defending the communities were arrested or shot by military personnel.

The council stressed the need for collaboration between local residents and the military to improve intelligence sharing and response times, noting that while the military’s role cannot be overemphasised, local residents have better knowledge of the terrain and can effectively complement military efforts.

The statement condemned the attacks as part of a broader agenda of displacing communities, noting that over 400 members of the Bokkos community have been killed since Christmas attacks targeted 26 villages.

The group stressed that while they remain committed to working with constituted authorities, they reserve the right to self-defense.

“We wish to clarify that our appeals for involvement in our security management is a mark of respect for constituted authorities and our desire for a harmonious relationship with the military. Nonetheless, we are acutely aware of our constitutional right to self-defence, which we will exercise vigorously to protect our people.

“This serves as a record for any intent to raid or arrest community members who are risking their lives to defend our communities. We assure our members of our commitment to providing legal and diplomatic support to anyone legitimately exercising their right to self-defence. We urge everyone to take personal responsibility for their security. Our deepest condolences go out to the families of the victims of the Rafut attack. We call upon the government to take responsibility for the medical treatment of the injured. We again call for the arrest of Sale Yusuf, Yusuf Adamu, Umar Ori, and Muhammad Gorte for their roles in previous threats in the area.”

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Police Command has yet to issue a statement regarding the attack. Efforts to reach the Command’s spokesperson, Alabo Alfred, were unsuccessful as calls to his phone were not answered at the time of this report.