Death Toll Rises To 52 In Fresh Plateau Killings

Death toll in a coordinated gunmen attacks on some communities in Bokkos local government area of Plateau State has risen to 52.

This followed the recovery of additional 40 corpses of victims that were killed by the rampaging gunmen on Wednesday and Thursday night while the search and rescue team kept combing the bushes for missing persons.

LEADERSHIP reports that the assailants attacked Mangor Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna (Tagai), Hurti and Tadai communities of Bokkos LGA on the night of 2nd April, 2025, opening fire on innocent citizens.

Chairman of Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC) Vanguard, Farmasum Fuddang, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Friday.

He said 31 persons were given a mass burial on Thursday with other 5 underage victims were burnt to ashes in Hurti village, 11 others were killed in Ruwi village, 4 persons killed in Manguna with one person killed in Dafo Village.

Meanwhile, the Plateau state government said some suspects have been arrested in connection with the killings.

Commissioner for information and Communication in the state, Hon Joyce Ramnap, in a statement, confirmed the development to newsmen in Jos.

She conveyed the Plateau State government’s condemnation to the wave of violent attacks.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and assure them that every effort is being made to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s administration remains fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of all Plateau residents,” the Commissioner stated in the statement.

It added that, “Security agencies have deployed and dominated these areas to ensure normalcy returns at the shortest possible time.

“Additionally, important arrests have been made by the security agencies and this will hopefully help in stemming the tide of this ugly situation.

“We strongly urge citizens to exercise restraint and refrain from taking the law into their own hands,” the Plateau State government said.

Residents have also been charged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the relevant security agencies.

“Citizens must actively cooperate with law enforcement to facilitate the identification and apprehension of those responsible for these heinous acts,” the statement said.

Ramnap stressed that the Governor Caleb Mutfwang-led administration has deployed strategic measures to enhance intelligence gathering, surveillance, and rapid response mechanisms in collaboration with security operatives.

“We also call on religious, traditional, and community leaders to reinforce the message of peace, unity, and lawful engagement.

“Plateau State Government remains resolute in its commitment to upholding law and order and will not relent in its pursuit of justice against those who seek to destabilize our communities.

“Residents are encouraged to remain law-abiding, support security efforts, and utilize official channels for security concerns,the statement further reads.