Gunmen killed at least 19 people in separate assaults on two communities in Plateau State on the night of Thursday, June 19. The first attack occurred in Tangur community of Bokkos Local Government Area at about 9:00 pm, when residents were preparing for bed. The second unfolded earlier that evening in Manja community of the Chakfem kingdom in Mangu Local Government Area.
Sources in Bokkos and Mangu confirmed that seven people were shot dead in Mangu, while 12 were killed in Bokkos. Witnesses reported that the attackers fired sporadically into homes before disappearing into nearby bushland.
Shohotden Mathias Ibrahim, Director of Culture for the Mwaghavul Development Association and head of the IDP camp at Pilot Science in Mangu, verified the Mangu death toll and said the community remains tense. “People are afraid to return to their houses tonight,” he said.
In Bokkos, Farmasum Fuddang, chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council and a practicing lawyer, confirmed that authorities have so far recovered 12 bodies. He described the village as reeling from the loss. “Families are in mourning, and there is a palpable sense of fear,” Fuddang said.
Efforts to obtain official comments went unanswered. Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer Alfred Alabo did not respond to repeated calls, and text messages remained undelivered. Major Samson Zhakom, spokesperson for Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), initially promised details but had not provided them by press time.
Residents of both communities have called for increased security patrolsincreased security patrols and prompt investigation into the attacks. Local leaders warn that without swift action, further violence could follow.
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