In the wake of coordinated attacks on communities within the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, search and rescue teams have recovered an additional 40 bodies, bringing the total death toll to 52. The affected areas include Mangor Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna (Tagai), Hurti, and Tadai. The Plateau State government has confirmed that arrests have been made in connection with the Wednesday night attacks.

Farmasum Fuddang, Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC) Vanguard, reported that 31 victims were given a mass burial on Thursday. He detailed the tragic circumstances of some deaths, including five underage victims who were burned to ashes in Hurti village, 11 killed in Ruwi village, four in Manguna, and one in Dafo. The council has condemned these attacks, emphasizing that while suspects have been arrested, the exact number remains undisclosed.

Commissioner of Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, issued a statement expressing the government’s condolences to the bereaved families. She affirmed that security agencies are making every effort to curb the violence. The Mutfwang Administration has deployed strategic measures to enhance intelligence gathering, surveillance, and rapid response mechanisms in collaboration with security operatives. Ramnap urged religious, traditional, and community leaders to promote peace, unity, and lawful engagement, while advising residents to remain law-abiding and support security efforts through official channels.

Residents from the affected communities reported that the attacks were carried out by gunmen who shot sporadically, catching the people unaware.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s security architecture, attributing the widespread killings across Nigeria to its failure. He noted that many incidents go unreported and extended his condolences to the affected communities in Bokkos Local Government Area.

Dachung Bagos, a former member of the House of Representatives from Plateau State, has called for concerted efforts to address the killings, describing them as barbaric. He urged the National Assembly to expedite the creation of community police to secure vulnerable areas.

The Plateau State government has reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all residents, stating that security agencies have been deployed to dominate the affected villages and restore normalcy. The government has urged citizens to exercise restraint and refrain from taking the law into their own hands, while also encouraging vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

Bagos also commented on the killings, urging local communities to unite to protect one another and called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the creation of state police to enable state governments and local communities to take care of their security needs.