Unidentified gunmen killed five individuals in the Mbar community of Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State, during a Sunday night attack. This was confirmed in a statement by the Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, Farmasum Fuddang.
According to the statement, the attack occurred when a group of unarmed youths, traveling from Mbar town to Koh village, were ambushed by terrorists on motorcycles. The assailants, believed to be fleeing after a failed attempt to infiltrate the area, targeted the group along a bypass near Yelwa Nono village. Despite prior intelligence reports of terrorist activity in the area, the attack proceeded unhindered.
The cultural group condemned the attack, linking it to a series of unprovoked assaults aimed at driving locals from their ancestral lands. “This incident adds to a series of armed attacks in our villages, including the recent murder of eleven youths in Tarangol, Daffo, and Bargesh villages on September 3, 2024,” the statement noted.
Fuddang urged for the involvement of local communities in security operations, suggesting a model similar to the civilian joint task force in other regions. He acknowledged the military’s efforts but highlighted the need for local collaboration to mitigate the growing violence.
The Director of Personnel Management for Bokkos Local Government Council, Christy Loyi, confirmed the incident and visited the families of the victims, assuring them that security measures would be reinforced in the area.
