Many Killed in Renewed Attacks in Nigeria’s Plateau State 

The gunshots began without warning. Residents of several villages and hamlets in the Manguna and Daffo districts of Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State, North-central Nigeria, scrambled for cover as armed men stormed their villages, shooting indiscriminately. By the time the chaos subsided, many lay dead, others were wounded, and several had fled their homes.

The attacks, which occurred late on Wednesday, April 2, are the latest in a string of violent incidents linked to suspected armed herders. The Plateau State Police Command confirmed the assault but said the full extent of casualties and damage was still being assessed.

“We will share the statement when we confirm every detail,” Alfred Alubo, the state police spokesperson, told HumAngle. 

In a wave of attacks that started on March 27, with the most recent being recorded on April 2, youth leaders say that at least 40 people have been killed.

Bokkos has suffered repeated waves of violence, particularly after the Christmas massacre of 2023, which claimed scores of lives. Previous investigations by HumAngle have linked the unrest to a cycle of revenge attacks triggered by disputes over farmland grazing and cattle rustling. Others, including Musa Ashoms, the state commissioner for youth and sports, have described it as “land grabbing and ethnic cleansing.”

How it started

The latest bloodshed comes just days after another attack in the area. On March 27, suspected armed herders stormed Ruwi, a community in Bokkos district, killing more than ten mourners at a funeral, according to the Stefanos Foundation, a local advocacy group.

Following the massacre, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang visited Ruwi on March 29. Shortly after his visit, security operatives made several arrests. Fuki Christian, a social change ambassador in Bokkos, believes the Wednesday night assault was retaliation. 

“The attack seems to have been triggered by the recent arrests of those suspected to be behind the Ruwi massacre,” he told HumAngle. 

A day before this latest attack, another chilling event unfolded. A local pastor was returning from an event in Daffo to Manguna when his motorcycle broke down at Josho. There, he was ambushed by armed herders.

“He sustained several injuries and was thrown into a nearby well. They thought he was dead,” Providence Nafor, a resident of Manguna district, told HumAngle.

The native Ron people once inhabited Josho. However, due to continued attacks, many have been displaced, and armed herders now occupy the area. 

A passerby, hearing the pastor’s desperate cries for help, attempted a rescue but was shot. The pastor was eventually rescued and is now receiving treatment at a hospital in Bokkos town.

The violence soon spread to nearby communities.

“They struck in broad daylight. Everyone saw them,” Fuki said.

“These people are not strangers. Some of the women I spoke to said they could recognise them. They transact business with us,” said Providence.

He lost a friend in the attack—killed on his farm in the Manguna district.

“He was a good man,” Providence said.

Several other locals who spoke to HumAngle said that the residence of the village head in Hurti was torched, several houses were burnt, and some victims of stray bullets—including the daughter and wife of a local pastor—are receiving treatment in Bokkos town.

Governor Mutfwang condemned the attacks, vowing to protect Plateau’s people and heritage.

“The government will not relent in its efforts to safeguard Plateau’s heritage,” he said in a statement. “We stand with the people at all times, and urgent measures are being taken to address the security threats in the state.”

Mutfwang has previously accused “fifth columnists” of infiltrating security structures, making it difficult to curb the violence. However, many residents remain sceptical, fearing that without swift action, the cycle of bloodshed will continue.