A fresh wave of killings in Plateau State has left at least 15 people dead in two local government areas—Bokkos and Mangu—following renewed attacks by unidentified gunmen.
The recent violence took place late Thursday night, targeting Tangur community in Bokkos LGA and Manja village under Chakfem kingdom in Mangu LGA. Residents of both communities were caught off guard as the attackers arrived at separate times but left behind similar scenes of terror and destruction.
The Tangur community was invaded around 9pm, a time when most families had already settled in for the night. In contrast, the assault on Chakfem reportedly began earlier in the evening. According to local sources, the assailants moved from house to house, firing randomly and forcing their way into people’s homes.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “They came in suddenly and started shooting everywhere. We were running without knowing where to go.” The source also revealed that the attackers stayed for a while before fleeing the area.
Shohotden Mathias Ibrahim, the Director of Culture at the Mwaghavul Development Association and also Director of the IDP (Pilot Science) Camp in Mangu, confirmed that seven people were killed in the Chakfem attack. He also noted that fear has gripped the community, and many people are fleeing for safety. “There is currently tension in the community,” he said.
In Bokkos, eight people reportedly lost their lives during the attack on Tangur. Although messages were sent to some local leaders and residents for confirmation, no replies were received as of Friday morning.
