GUNMEN killed four persons in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State on Thursday, October 10.
It was learnt that the attack occurred after many residents returned from the swearing-in of newly elected local government chairmen in Jos, the state capital.
In an exclusive chat with The ICIR on Saturday, October 12, a youth leader in the community, Kefas Mallai, said the gunmen attacked the community around 9 pm, killing four people on the spot.
According to Mallai, during the attack, the gunmen injured many people before fleeing.
He stated that the incident happened between the borders of Bokkos and Barkin Ladi LGAs.
Also confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, the President of the Butura Youth Movement, Sebastine Magit, gave the names of those killed as Bwefuk Musa, 21; Klingshak Dickson, 21; Promise Joshua, 20, and Nyam Abaka, 20.
Magit said that four innocent persons were killed and five others were injured in the attack, which occurred at about 9: p.m. without any prior warning.
According to the statement, the four young people’s deaths were the most recent in a string of unprovoked attacks on their community, which has seen the deaths of over 20 of its members in the past month alone.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Plateau State command, Alabo Alfred, told The ICIR that he didn’t have any information on the attack.
“I have not gotten that information yet; I can’t confirm it. Let me contact my DPO,” he stated.
However, he promised to reach out if he gets any details on the killings.
Over the years, Plateau State, situated in the north-central region, has been battling insecurity as a result of the activities of bandits and terrorists.
On December 24, 2023, suspected gunmen reportedly killed over 70 people in an attack on several communities in the Barkin-Ladi and Bokkos local government areas (LGAs).
According to reports, the assailants attacked residences, looted farm produce, and set houses ablaze.
Earlier on January 24, it was reported that at least 15 people, mostly children and women, were killed by assailants in Kwahaslalek village, a community in the Mangu LGA of the state.
Also in February, about four people were killed by suspected gunmen in two villages of the Miango district of the Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State.
This was disclosed by the district’s traditional council and development association on behalf of the Rigwe nation’s leadership.
The organisation described the recent spike in attacks and killings in the state as ‘barbaric’ and ‘callous.
According to the association’s national publicity secretary, Davidson Malison, the assailants attacked the Nkienzha community in the Miango district of Rigwe chiefdom early on Monday, February 11.
He also said attackers ambushed a car on Friday, February 9, resulting in the burning of the vehicle and injuries to one of the occupants.
The ICIR, in a report done in June 2024, gathered that despite all the security challenges bedevilling the state, the State House of Assembly approved over N3.5 billion for refreshment and N800 million for abating COVID-19 in the 2024 budget.
A reporter with the ICIR
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