Search and rescue teams continue to comb the affected areas in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State following a series of coordinated attacks, with the death toll now standing at 52. The attacks targeted several communities, including Mangor Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna (Tagai), Hurti, and Tadai, leaving residents in shock and mourning.

The state government has confirmed that arrests have been made in connection with the Wednesday night mayhem. The Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC) Vanguard, Farmasum Fuddang, reported that 31 victims were given a mass burial on Thursday. Among the casualties were five underage victims who were burned to ashes in Hurti village, 11 killed in Ruwi village, four in Manguna, and one in Dafo. The BCDC Vanguard has strongly condemned the attacks, describing them as barbaric and senseless.

Plateau State's Commissioner of Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, extended the government’s condolences to the bereaved families, assuring that every effort is being made by security agencies to curb the wave of killings. She noted that the Mutfwang Administration has deployed strategic measures to enhance intelligence gathering, surveillance, and rapid response mechanisms in collaboration with security operatives. Ramnap also urged religious, traditional, and community leaders to reinforce the message of peace, unity, and lawful engagement, while advising residents to remain law-abiding and support security efforts through official channels.

Residents of the affected communities recounted how the invaders shot sporadically, catching people unawares and causing widespread panic and devastation.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has attributed the killings to the failure of President Bola Tinubu’s security architecture, pointing out that such incidents have become widespread across the country. He stated that Nigerians are now being forced to get used to news of wanton killings. Atiku urged Tinubu to reconfigure the security architecture to better protect the lives and properties of Nigerians, offering his condolences to the affected communities.

Echoing similar sentiments, Dachung Bagos, a former member of the House of Representatives from Plateau State, called for concerted efforts to check the killings and condemned them as barbaric. He urged the National Assembly to expedite action on creating community police to secure vulnerable areas, emphasizing the need for local communities to unite in their efforts to protect one another. Bagos expressed deep sorrow and condemnation over the tragic attacks, particularly in Ruwi village, which resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent individuals.

The Plateau State government has urged citizens to exercise restraint and refrain from taking the law into their own hands. The government reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents, and called on residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the relevant security agencies. The administration has also deployed security agencies to dominate the villages to ensure normalcy returns as quickly as possible.