Armed bandits on Friday killed three people, including a clergyman, in a renewed attack on Suwa and Ding’ak villages of Mushere Chiefdom, Bokkos Local Government Area.
The attack, which occurred between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm, claimed the lives of Pastor Gideon Katings of COCIN Suwa, Sunday Ringkang, and Meshach Bukata. Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos, Kefas Mallai, confirmed the incident, adding that one Michael Kamshak and several others sustained injuries and were receiving treatment at Cottage Hospital, Bokkos.
Mallai said hundreds of residents fled their homes following the assault.
“Between 1:00 hrs and 2:00 hrs today, Suwa and Ding’ak villages in Mushere Chiefdom were attacked by terrorists, leading to the untimely death of three persons. Several residents, in their hundreds, have been displaced,” he said.
Efforts to reach Plateau State Police Command spokesman, Alabo Alfred, were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.
Friday’s killings are the latest in a wave of violence that has plagued Bokkos and surrounding areas. In the past month alone, over 20 villagers have been killed in separate incidents, with homes and farmlands destroyed.
Bokkos LGA Chairman, Hon. Amalau Samuel Amalau, had earlier called on security agencies to take decisive action against the armed militias, stressing the urgency of protecting lives and preventing further displacement.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the killings, describing them as “genocide” and “a coordinated attempt at land grabbing.” He vowed to work with security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators and restore peace to the affected communities.
