According to SPN, residents in the affected communities, including Zikke, accused Fulani cattle herders of carrying out the attacks. 

The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has said that the recent killings in Plateau State and other parts of Nigeria are a clear indication of the failure of the "self-imposed President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government."

The SPN decried the fact that the latest wave of violence in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas of Plateau State between March 28 and April 16, 2025, left at least 150 people dead, with about 50 people killed within just two hours on April 14.

"The killings that took place in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas of Plateau State between March 28 and April 16, 2025 are the latest genocide that reminds all that Nigeria is a slaughter house of impunity where lives do not matter," the SPN said in a statement signed by its Acting National Chairperson, Abiodun Bamigboye and National Secretary, Chinedu Bosah on Monday.

According to SPN, residents in the affected communities, including Zikke, accused Fulani cattle herders of carrying out the attacks. 

This follows similar incidents in Barkin Ladi, Mangu, and Bokkos, where gunmen killed around 150 people on Christmas Eve in 2023. 

It recalled that Human Rights Watch had documented over 7,000 deaths and the displacement of about 220,000 people in Plateau State since 2001.

The statement also noted that mass protests erupted in Jos on April 21 in response to the killings, with citizens expressing anger at what they view as government inaction.

"The situation is becoming more explosive as anger runs deep mainly because of the mass killings that have become one too many with no arrest and prosecution of the killers and putting an end to the killings and crises," the SPN stated.

The party also linked the killing of over 20 northern travellers in Uromi, Edo State, on March 28 to growing hatred and mistrust stemming from unresolved conflicts between farmers and herders.

"This is an indication of the potential of the conflict exploding into a bigger and wider one that can engulf the whole country if the underlying causes are not addressed," the SPN warned.

The party added, “Just like previous mass killings in Plateau, Benue and other places, there has been no major arrest and prosecution of the culprits. 

“Government officials will make statements and that is all. The intelligence and weapons at the disposal of security apparatus have failed to nip the crime in the bud or to bring the criminals to justice. 

“But the so-called intelligence and force are usually deployed to undermine democratic rights vis-à-vis incessant arrests and persecution of protesters, activists, minors, journalists and those that exercise right of dissent. 

“Repression and killing of EndSARS and EndBadGovernance protesters are historical examples of how the apparatus of the state is deployed to suppress peaceful protest but failed to bring genocidal criminals to justice.”

Despite assurances from President Bola Tinubu, who, while in France, promised that perpetrators would be brought to justice, the SPN accused the government of repeating a pattern of inaction.

"President Bola Tinubu who was in France released a statement that the gunmen would be apprehended and face severe punishment under the law. 

“President Tinubu said the same thing in the wake of similar deadly attacks in Plateau on the 2023 Christmas Eve and nothing happened," the party said.

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has responded by banning night grazing, restricting cattle transportation after 7 p.m., and imposing a state-wide ban on motorcycles during nighttime hours.

However, the SPN dismissed these actions as "the usual theatrics" and accused government officials of "merry-go-rounds" rather than taking meaningful action to prevent future massacres.

According to the SPN, successive Nigerian governments have "failed woefully in securing lives and property and in resolving the underlying problems responsible for the crises."

The party stressed that the conflicts, deeply rooted in socio-economic struggles and worsened by climate change, population growth, and lack of development, require a systemic solution beyond military and police responses.

The SPN said, “All these merry-go-rounds by service chiefs, top political office holders and the President are the usual theatrics to give the impression that they are working until another mass killings happen in future.

“The reality is that the governments (local, state and federal governments) have failed woefully in securing lives and property and in resolving the underlying problems responsible for the crises.

“There is no gunboat, military or police solution to the crises and conflicts, particularly ones that stem from socio-economic and political problems. 
“It will take the cooperation and re-organisation of communities and setting up of multi-ethnic and religious democratic defence committees that have active participants of all tribes, religion and occupation to deal with cases of insecurity including disarming the various armed criminal gangs and cattle headers.”

The SPN highlighted that the recurring clashes between herders and farmers are a result of "the backwardness, disorganisation, and lack of planning of society," made worse by the failure of the capitalist ruling elite to develop Nigeria's economy.

According to SPN, “The failure of the self-serving capitalist ruling elite to develop and industrialise the Nigerian economy meant that opportunities are limited and many people particularly in the rural areas are tied to land like the primitive era and access to fertile land and water has repeatedly become a struggle between the herders and farmers in constant clash resulting in deadly attacks and genocide.”

They advocate for the establishment of public-funded intensive farming and plantations, provision of modern farming facilities, and support for small farmers through low-interest loans, training, and public amenities like schools, hospitals, roads, and electricity.

The statement added, “In fact, coexistence of crop farming and ranching livestock in the same geographical environment has some mutual benefits and in terms of feeding and fertilisation of soil for crop farming and this is just one instance amongst several other mutual benefits crop farmers and animal husbandry can derive if society is planned. 

“Rather than a planned society led by the public sector, we have disparate private farmers, many of whom are small subsistence farmers who can barely maximise the land and opportunities due to lack of manpower skill, facilities, basic amenities in rural areas and capital. 

“Hence, there is the need for public funded intensive farming and plantations to be set up based on well-funded research and modern farming, provision of basic amenities (public schools, hospitals, good road network, electricity, water irrigation etc.,) for rural and farming communities while giving support (free and modern farming training, hire of farming facilities at cheaper rate, low interest loans etc) to small and cooperative farmers. 

“This can actually revolutionize farming, reduce prices of food drastically and achieve not just food sustainability but consolidate the industrialisation process and export of both agricultural produce and finished product for foreign exchange.”

The SPN noted that the problem is that the capitalist government and ruling elite in Nigeria are incapable of revolutionizing the agricultural sector as contained in the measures above and thereby beginning to end the perennial conflict between the farmers and herders.  

According to the party, it is only a workers and poor farmers government basing itself on a socialist programme and planned economy can achieve this feat and end not just ending the conflict but also the crises of the economy and growing poverty.

The party therefore demanded development of the rural and urban areas to expand opportunities and drastically reduce poverty. 

According to SPN, “There is the need to provide quality and free education and healthcare by building enough schools and hospitals including adult education and building old peoples’ home and care centres. 

“Basic amenities such as road, housing, electricity and water etc., should be provided.”

The party further demanded, “Training for farmers and research on farming should be adequately and publicly funded.

 
“Research institutes and agricultural schools should be well funded and linked to farming communities.

 
“Encourage and educate farmers on modern methods of farming for greater yields including ranching of livestock. 

 
“There should be public funded and democratically managed/controlled plantations and intensive farming (crop and animal husbandry) across the country by farm workers, farmers and communities’ representatives.

“Unused arable farm land under the ownership and control of private commercial farmers and land speculators should be nationalised (public ownership) and shared amongst willing small farmers on the basis of cooperative farming system.

“Provision of public funded farming facilities, tools, advanced machines and storage facilities to poor farmers and cooperative farmers for rental purposes at cheaper rates.

“The forming and activation of non-sectarian (inter-ethnic/religious/occupational) democratically controlled defence committees to respond to insecurity including fighting and disarming all armed criminals, herdsmen and other sectarian groups. 

“These non-sectarian defence committees should link up with other communities and states for the building of a mass political movement for the actualisation of workers and farmers' governments.

“Nationalisation of the commanding heights of the economy and placed under democratic control of workers and poor farmers as the only way to free resources trapped within the ownership of few powerful private individuals and big companies in order to use them for the interest of the vast majority and the society as against the self-serving interests of a few as currently obtains.”

The SPN urged immediate reforms to ensure rural and urban development, guarantee public-funded education and healthcare, and foster mass political mobilisation towards the establishment of a workers and farmers government.