Armed groups kill 160 villagers in central Nigeria
In a shocking escalation of violence, armed groups have mercilessly killed at least 160 people in a series of brutal attacks on villages in central Nigeria.
The initial army report of 16 casualties on Sunday evening was quickly overshadowed by the grim reality unfolding in a region plagued by longstanding religious and ethnic tensions.
Monday Kassah, the head of the local government in Bokkos, revealed that the death toll had surged, with 113 confirmed killed as hostilities persisted from Saturday into the early hours of Monday.
The attacks, orchestrated by military gangs locally referred to as “bandits,” were well-coordinated and targeted not fewer than 20 different communities. Houses were torched, leaving devastation in their wake.
More than 300 wounded individuals were discovered and transferred to hospitals in Bokkos, Jos, and Barkin Ladi, according to Kassah.
The local Red Cross provisionally reported 104 deaths in 18 villages in the Bokkos region, while an additional 50 fatalities were reported in several villages in the Barkin Ladi area.
Dickson Chollom, a member of the state parliament, condemned the attacks and urged swift action from security forces.
“We will not succumb to the tactics of these merchants of death. We are united in our pursuit of justice and lasting peace,” Chollom declared.
The violence, originating in the Bokkos area, spilled into neighboring Barkin Ladi, where 30 more people were found dead. Plateau State governor Caleb Mutfwang denounced the brutality as “barbaric, brutal, and unjustified,” promising proactive measures to curb ongoing attacks against innocent civilians.
Gunfire could still be heard on late Monday afternoon, indicating the continued volatile situation in the region, which lies on the dividing line between Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north and mainly Christian south.
Amnesty International criticized the Nigerian authorities, stating that they have been failing to end frequent deadly attacks on rural communities in Plateau state.
Northwest and central Nigeria have long been terrorized by bandit militias operating from forest bases, raiding villages to loot and kidnap residents for ransom.
Competition for natural resources between nomadic herders and farmers, intensified by rapid population growth and climate pressures, has further exacerbated social tensions and sparked violence in the region.
Despite these challenges, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, elected in February, has pledged to attract more investment to address Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
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