The death toll in attacks by gunmen in some communities in the Bokkos local government council of Plateau State has risen to 52.
The Chairman of Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, Farmasum Fuddang, who confirmed the development to journalists in Jos on Friday, said this followed the recovery of 40 more corpses on Wednesday and Thursday night while the search and rescue team kept combing the bushes for missing persons.
“31 persons were given a mass burial on Thursday, with another five underage victims burnt to ashes in Hurti village, 11 others were killed in Ruwi village, four persons were killed in Manguna, with one person killed in Dafo village”, the chairman stated.
Our correspondent reports that gunmen had attacked Mangor Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna (Tagai), Hurti, and Tadai communities of Bokkos Local Government Area of the state on the night of April 2nd, 2025, and opened fire on innocent citizens.
Meanwhile, the state government said some suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing in the five communities.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Joyce Ramnap, made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen in Jos .
“Plateau State Government has condemned the recent wave of violent attacks in the wee hours of 2nd April, 2025, at Manguno, Josho, and Daffo communities in Bokkos Local Government Area, in which some communities were razed and lives were lost.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and assure them that every effort is being made to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Governor Caleb Mutfwang and his administration remain fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of all Plateau residents,” she said.
The statement added that, “security agencies have deployed and dominated these areas to ensure normalcy returns at the shortest possible time.
“Additionally, important arrests have been made by the security agencies, and this will hopefully help in stemming the tide of this ugly situation. We strongly urge citizens to exercise restraint and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.”
Ramnap called on all residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the relevant security agencies.
“Citizens must actively cooperate with law enforcement to facilitate the identification and apprehension of those responsible for these heinous acts.
“Furthermore, the Governor Mutfwang-led administration has deployed strategic measures to enhance intelligence gathering, surveillance, and rapid response mechanisms in collaboration with security operatives.
“In addition, we call on religious, traditional, and community leaders to reinforce the message of peace, unity, and lawful engagement.
“Plateau State Government remains resolute in its commitment to upholding law and order and will not relent in its pursuit of justice against those who seek to destabilize our communities.Residents are encouraged to remain law-abiding, support security efforts, and utilize official channels for security concerns,” the statement added.
