The death toll from the Monday morning attack on Zike community in Kimakpa, Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State, has climbed to 51, with several others injured and houses razed in yet another tragic episode of violence in the state.
According to Wakili Tongwe, a community leader in Kwall, the attackers stormed the village in the early hours and began shooting indiscriminately, catching residents off guard as they tried to flee. He told Channels Television in a phone interview that he and other vigilantes, along with some security operatives, were patrolling a neighbouring area when the assailants struck.
By the time security personnel engaged and repelled the attackers, 36 residents had already been killed. Four more victims succumbed to injuries later, and the death toll has since risen as more bodies were recovered and others died in hospital.
Multiple people sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at nearby medical facilities.
The Zike incident adds to a string of brutal attacks that have plagued Plateau State in recent years. Just under two weeks ago, 52 people were killed in a similar raid on communities in Bokkos Local Government Area. In December 2023, a Christmas Eve massacre claimed over 200 lives in predominantly Christian communities, and in May 2023, about 40 people were slaughtered in Wase, with homes set ablaze.
For decades, Plateau State has been a flashpoint for ethno-religious and resource-based violence, with many clashes blamed on the protracted conflict between farming communities and nomadic herders. However, state officials and local leaders argue that the situation has escalated beyond land disputes.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang dismissed the narrative that the violence is merely a fallout of herder-farmer clashes. He described the recurring attacks as acts of “genocide” being perpetrated by organized terrorist networks.
“I can tell you in all honesty that I cannot find any explanation other than genocide sponsored by terrorists,” the governor said. “The question is, who are the persons behind the organisers of this terrorism? This is what the security agencies must help us to unravel.”
Governor Muftwang further revealed that no fewer than 64 communities across Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom Local Government Areas have been forcibly taken over by bandits.
“These communities have been occupied, renamed, and people are living there conveniently on lands they pushed others away from,” he stated.
Security Agencies Yet to Respond
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies in Plateau State are yet to issue an official statement on the Zike massacre. The silence adds to growing concerns about the state’s capacity to protect its citizens and reclaim occupied territories.
In the absence of swift and decisive action, residents in vulnerable communities continue to live in fear, unsure of where the next attack might strike. Community leaders are calling for urgent federal intervention, enhanced military presence, and a long-term strategy to restore peace and justice.
