Five people have been killed in a recent assault on rural communities in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.
This grim confirmation came from Farmasum Fuddang, Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council, and Secretary Duwam Bosco, in a statement released on Tuesday.
The attack occurred on Monday, October 14, shortly after a string of violent incidents that have claimed numerous lives in the area.
“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,” they stated.
They lamented that this unprovoked assault took place despite a security meeting held with police and military authorities in Bokkos on October 13.
According to the statement, “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.”
This incident follows a week marked by deadly violence, with over ten community members murdered.
The statement detailed the recent toll: “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 also recounted previous assaults, 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 20, 2024.”
The group commended the efforts of security agencies in repelling the assailants, urging increased collaboration with local residents to secure the community.
“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 onto the road to block the victim,” they said.
However, they expressed deep concern that the attack on Rafut occurred despite prior warnings that clearly identified the area as at risk.
“More worrisome is the fact that it occurred mere hours after residents of Rafut reached out to police authorities reporting suspicious activity by Fulani groups in the area.
Similar intelligence was shared shortly after the Wumat attack on October 7, including names of identified suspects, who still roam free,” they concluded.
