From January 1 to March 30, checks by Peoples Gazette show that 119 people were killed in several coordinated attacks by suspected gunmen across communities in Plateau State.

Killings even on New Year’s Day

In the first month of the year, the New Year’s celebration was marred by a deadly attack at Chigwi village, Vwang district, Jos South Local Government Area, that left at least nine people, including women and children, dead.

A house-to-house raid by gunmen in Bong Village, Plateau State, claimed the lives of at least seven people on January 2, while on January 6, gunmen killed at least six farmers in coordinated attacks on communities of Jos South and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas.

Another attack at a tin mining site in Kuru community of Jos South Local Government Area on January 22 left seven people dead, bringing the total number of those killed in reported attacks in Plateau to 29 in January.

Death toll on the rise

In February, attacks pushed the death toll to 37 as gunmen continued to ravage communities in Plateau State.

They stormed the Zurak and Sabon Gari communities in the Bashar district of Wase Local Government Area, killing at least four people and injuring others.

Three soldiers were also declared missing after the attack, while on February 17, the assailants killed two residents of the Garga community in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State.

At least three herders Jol village in Riyom LGA were killed on February 20.

On February 22 to 23, two separate attacks were recorded. Four traders were ambushed and killed going to Pankshin, while in Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas, 10 people were killed in attacks coordinated by gunmen

Similarly, at Miango in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, at least six Irigwe residents were killed as gunmen raided the communities. Another attack at Nche Shwye Rishi community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State claimed seven people on February 28.

Bloody March

In March, though the number of attacks reduced, the death toll surged to 53, showing a rise in killings perpetrated in the state in the last three months.

On March 14, about 20 soldiers were ambushed and killed by gunmen at Wanka community in the Kanam Local Government Area, while at Rim village in the Riyom Local Government Area, three people were killed in an overnight attack by gunmen on March 25.

About 30 people were killed in an attack launched on Gari Ya Waye community in Angwan Rukuba of Jos North Local Government Area on Palm Sunday, March 29, sparking protests among Plateau people on Monday.

The state Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Muftwang, visited Anguwan Rukuba on Monday to commiserate with the families who lost loved ones in the attack.

He promised the government would fund the medical treatment of the injured.

Govt failures

Frequent attacks and a rise in the death toll triggered public outrage from within and outside Nigeria, with many berating President Bola Tinubu’s government for failing in its core responsibility of protecting life and property.

A U.S. lawmaker among a U.S. fact-finding delegation on Christian genocide in Nigeria, Rily Moore, in a post on X on Sunday, said the deadly attack left many dead in Anguwan Rukuba, Plateau State.

He stated that the incident would have “significant consequences” on “Nigeria’s relationship with the United States.”

Also, citing Palm Sunday and past attacks recorded in the state, Amnesty International berated Mr Tinubu for “failing to protect lives.”

“With the death toll from the Palm Sunday attack in central Nigeria surpassing 30 people, the Nigerian authorities must investigate the inexcusable security lapses that enabled the horrific attack by gunmen on motorbikes on the Anguwan Rukuba community of Jos North LGA of Plateau State.

“The area, nature of the attack and timing show how increasingly vulnerable people are to being killed anywhere and anytime. More dead bodies are still being found and conveyed to the morgue. Plateau State is increasingly becoming unsafe,” the body said in a statement on Tuesday.

However, Mr Tinubu, in a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, condemned the attack, assuring citizens that his government was procuring equipment to support security agencies in tackling insecurity in the country.