Plateau attacks: ‘I was macheted, thrown into a well to die’

•Nine-month pregnant woman hacked, shot •Terrorists slaughtered my brother, his two children —Danlami •My aged father was killed, his house set on fire —Son

PLATEAU State has been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons over the past two weeks, following terrorist attacks in four communities of Bokkos Local Government Area, especially in Hurti, Manguna, Daffo, and Tiapi in Bassa Council. The mayhem unleashed on the two councils has so far claimed more than 100 lives.

These settlements were ravaged by the marauders in a guerrilla manner. Most of the survivors are currently recovering in various hospitals both within and outside the localities, while those who managed to flee the attacks are experiencing trauma. Some of the survivors recount their horrible experiences.

 

I was macheted, thrown into a well to die —COCIN pastor

Pastor James Musa Mareen, a clergy member with the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), was unaware of the previous day’s attack on the neighbouring Hurti village in Bokkos Local Government. At about 4 pm, he set out on his motorcycle from Laka village for an outreach programme in Daffo, just like any other day.

While on his way, Pastor Mareen was confronted by rampaging terrorists. He was flagged down, and after a brief interrogation, they descended heavily on him with machetes, beating him to the point of unconsciousness before throwing him into an infested well.

“I am a pastor at the COCIN church. On April 1, 2025, I headed out on my motorcycle for an outreach programme in Daffo community but was stopped by some Fulani militias who questioned me about where I was going. Before I could say anything further, they macheted my legs, arms and head.

“A few minutes later, another set of terrorists emerged from a nearby bush and told the first group to leave me and take me to a hospital. But instead, they led me toward another part of the bush, surrounded by hills. When I asked if we were still going to the hospital, their leader said a doctor would come and take care of me there. At that point, it dawned on me that they were out to kill me, so I started praying.

“One of them was about to shoot me when another intervened, and they all agreed to throw me into a nearby well. My wrists and legs were chained behind me, with a large stone placed in between, and I was thrown into the well.”

He added that while inside the well, he was terrified and began to pray. To his surprise, a snake inside the well did not move.

“After a few hours, I heard women passing by and talking, so I began to shout for help. They didn’t hear me at first, but later I overheard another group of women conversing. I yelled again, and they looked into the well and saw me. They summoned men from the surrounding village who helped rescue me and transported me to the hospital.”

 

Nine-month pregnant woman hacked, shot

A nine-month pregnant woman from Daffo, Sarah Ephraim, who is presently receiving treatment at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, narrated her ordeal:

“We were sitting in front of our house when we heard gunfire from all directions in the village. People were fleeing for their lives, and my family and I were forced to follow suit. We fled in different directions.

“At one point, I was so tired that I had to lie down and rest. After some time, I continued, but the terrorists, who were speaking in Fulani, ignored my condition and began to hit me with their cutlasses until I collapsed and lost consciousness.

“They probably assumed I had died and abandoned me in a pool of my own blood. After a while, I realised I was being carried and later discovered that the people carrying me were also fleeing but stopped to help me. I was taken on a motorcycle to a nearby checkpoint where soldiers were stationed and from there to this hospital.”

 

Terrorists slaughtered my brother, his two children —Danlami

Peter Danlami narrated how he lost four members of his family: “At about 11.45pm, the entire family had retired to our respective rooms, but suddenly we started hearing gunshots. We called each other to stay indoors. After a while, we discovered that some of the terrorists had forced their way into my brother’s room.

“They shot him and his family several times before butchering them to ensure they were dead. Only my brother and two of his children died in the room. My sister, who was staying with me, suddenly decided to leave the room and was shot dead as soon as she stepped out.

“After the terrorists left, I came out of my hiding place to find my brother and his two children dead, while his wife and eldest child were rushed to the hospital. My brother’s wife lost one of her hands and is now receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital.”

 

My aged father was killed, his house set on fire —Son

Eighty-two-year-old David Musa was not spared despite his age. His son, Mallum Musa, recounted that he was sitting in front of the family house when he suddenly noticed commotion and heavy gunfire in the neighbourhood.

“Immediately, I took my aged father inside because he couldn’t run like the rest of us. But he later came out from where he was hiding. Before then, I had already moved most of the children in the house to safety. I joined some of the youths to confront the attackers, but they were almost everywhere in the community, and we couldn’t stop them. At some point, we had no choice but to flee.

“On my return to the house, I discovered that my father had been killed and the house burnt. Not only our house—other houses were equally burnt. In the house in front of us, close to four people were killed,” Musa said.

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