Terrorists on Thursday night invaded Mbwelle village in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed at least eight persons.
Chronicle NG gathered that most of the victims were members of the same family.
Those killed included Elder Iliya Mangut Dakus, Mr. Luck Titus Dakus, Mr. Habila Istifanu Dakus, Mr. Hassan Istifanus Dakus, Mrs. Hassan Moses Dakus, Biggie Lucky Dakus, Sunday Gideon Dakus, and Mr. Innocent Barnabas Makwin.
The Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos LGA, Kefas Mallai, confirmed the killings in Jos on Friday.
He stated that the attack occurred around 11pm when the assailants invaded the community and opened fire indiscriminately on residents, leaving about three other persons injured while some community members were still missing.
Mallai said, “There was an attack last night at Mbwelle village. The village is very close to Bokkos town. So far eight persons have been confirmed dead this morning.
“The people are saying they want to protest because the security men have not protected them and the attack lasted for hours and yet, there was no presence of security to repel the assailants until those people finished and left. No trace.”
He added: “The attack lasted for several hours with no visible security presence to repel the attackers.”
Mallai also claimed that security forces did not respond despite the proximity of the area and that personnel were currently deployed to protect a specific community suspected by natives of Bokkos to be the origin of the attackers.
Youth Leader of Bokkos, Christopher Luka, also confirmed the terrorists’ attack, describing it as “a sad and devastating assault on the people of Bokkos and Plateau State as a whole.”
“The gunmen came around 11pm and started shooting sporadically. They targeted one family mostly. We have eight confirmed dead, some seriously injured, and others still unaccounted for,” Luka said.
The Plateau State Police Command had yet to comment on the incident at the time of filing this report.
Last week, when the Berom Youth Moulders Association raised alarm over unrelenting ambushes and killings targeting residents in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Jos South LGAs, even with security operatives on the ground.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, the group, led by National President Dalyop Mwantiri, condemned the attacks as a premeditated terror campaign aimed at stealing ancestral lands.
According to the organization, at around 4:15pm on Wednesday, gunmen ambushed travelers returning from mining activities in the Great Commission region along the Bokkos Road on their way to Nding in the Fan District of Barkin Ladi LGA.
The attackers opened fire on the victims, killing Mr. Ayuba Pam from Nding Sesut. Mr. Alfred Dung and Mr. Nathaniel Bitrus suffered significant injuries and were being treated in the hospital.
In a separate incident that evening, around 6:30 p.m., gunmen ambushed and killed Mr. Christopher Joshua, a father of three from the Byei community in Riyom LGA, on the Gwolhoss-Byei road as he returned from his regular chores.
The BYM described the incidents as part of a pattern of prolonged assault against Berom communities and voiced worry that similar ambushes continued on busy rural roads utilized by farmers, miners, and travelers, despite security services being aware of the attackers’ flashpoints and hiding places.
The group urged security authorities to quickly increase surveillance and patrols along important corridors such as the Great Commission-Bokkos road, Great Commission-Gashish axis, Rahoss-Rim road, Kwi-Farin Lamba road, Gwolhoss-Jol-Sho road, and Rim-Bachi road.
