More than 50 lives were lost this week in a wave of coordinated assaults by unidentified gunmen across villages in central Nigeria’s Plateau State, local authorities and community leaders have confirmed.
The attacks, which began on Wednesday night, swept through multiple settlements in Bokkos Local Government Area, leaving a trail of destruction. Armed assailants reportedly opened fire on civilians without provocation before setting homes ablaze. Survivors described scenes of chaos as families fled into surrounding bushes to escape the violence.
Farmasum Fuddang, who heads the Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, has been leading volunteer search operations in the aftermath. “We’ve recovered at least 52 bodies so far,” he said in Jos, the state capital. “Thirty-one were buried in a mass grave on Thursday alone.” Among the dead were five children discovered in the village of Hurti, while 16 others were found scattered across nearby communities.
Authorities say the motive for the attack remains unclear. However, Bokkos has endured repeated outbreaks of violence in recent years. Located in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, Plateau State sits on a tense fault line between the predominantly Muslim north and the mainly Christian south—an area often plagued by land disputes and communal clashes.
In a statement released Friday, the Plateau State government condemned the killings and announced the arrest of several suspects linked to the violence. Security agencies have been deployed to the area to restore order and support ongoing investigations.
The state further urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with law enforcement. Meanwhile, local leaders are calling for more robust intervention from the federal government to prevent future bloodshed.
Nigeria’s central and northern regions have become hotspots for armed violence, with communities increasingly targeted by criminal gangs and militias. The wave of insecurity has forced thousands to flee their homes, heightening humanitarian needs in already fragile areas.
As mourning continues in Bokkos, community leaders are demanding justice and long-term security measures to safeguard their future.