Again, terrorists kill 16, burn more than 20 houses in Plateau communities

AT least 16 people were killed and more than 20 houses razed during coordinated attacks on two local government areas of Plateau State on Thursday night, local officials and community leaders have confirmed.

Eyewitnesses said dozens of gunmen stormed Juwan village in Tungur District, Bokkos Local Government Area, at about 8:25 p.m., firing indiscriminately and ransacking homes.

They said 13 people, mostly women and children, were killed in the attack.

“People were preparing to retire for the night when the gunmen appeared. The youths tried to respond but were overwhelmed,” said Kefas Mallai, chairman of the Community Peace Observers.

The chairman of the local government council, Mr Amalau Samuel Amalau, confirmed the attack, adding that the injured are being treated in nearby hospitals.

He noted that security personnel arrived after the assailants had fled.

Earlier the same day, another band of armed men struck Manja community in Chafem Chiefdom, Mangu Local Government Area, around 3 pm.

In the first attack, three villagers were killed before security forces and local youths repelled the gunmen.

Later that evening, the attackers returned and burned more than 20 houses. No further casualties were recorded, but dozens of residents were displaced.

The member of the state House of Assembly representing Mangu South, Hon. Mathew Kwarpo, appealed for urgent federal intervention:

“The assaults keep coming. Each time threats are issued, they are carried out. Our security personnel are doing their best but are often outnumbered. This is a calculated attempt to seize our land,” he said.

Community leaders across both local government areas urged President Bola Tinubu and state authorities to bolster security deployments, warning that continued attacks could trigger wider displacement and humanitarian crises.

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