A respected traditional and political figure in Plateau State, Da Yohana Margif, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state, citing ongoing deadly attacks allegedly carried out by Fulani militias in Bokkos Local Government Area.
Margif, who holds the title of Waziri Mushere and was the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, made the call during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
He decried what he described as a coordinated campaign to wipe out indigenous communities in Bokkos, revealing that seven villages had already fallen to armed assailants. According to him, residents have either been killed, displaced, or left to live in fear and uncertainty.
“The savage killings and destruction of homes continue even as of today,” Margif said. “Seven communities have been captured, and many lives have been lost. No one knows what will happen next. The people cannot sleep and are helpless.”
He described the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe, with displaced persons roaming their ancestral lands without food, shelter, or government support.
“Innocent villagers have been slaughtered, their homes burnt, and their ancestral lands forcefully taken over. Displaced families now roam as refugees in their fatherland,” he lamented.
Margif emphasized that declaring a state of emergency is the only realistic option left to halt the escalating violence and prevent further loss of life.
“The primary duty of any government is to protect lives and property. If it fails to do that, then it has no business being in existence,” he said.
He warned that unless urgent federal intervention is taken, more bloodshed will follow and entire communities in Plateau risk being completely wiped out.
Plateau State has faced repeated waves of violence in recent years, stemming largely from protracted conflicts between herder and farming communities. Despite security deployments and peace efforts, parts of the state remain volatile.
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