There was widespread anger and deep sorrow in Mbwelle village, Kwatas district of Bokkos Local Government Area in Plateau State, as residents conducted a mass burial for eight members of the same family killed in a brutal attack by suspected Fulani militia.
The assault, which occurred late Thursday night, left over 20 people dead and several others injured, according to local sources. Residents said the gunmen stormed the village around 10:30pm, firing continuously for nearly an hour while efforts to reach security agencies yielded no response.
Eyewitnesses revealed that the attackers moved from house to house in what appeared to be a coordinated and targeted operation. At the residence of Elder Iliya Mangut Dakus, the assailants reportedly rounded up family members who could not flee and killed them in cold blood.
Those buried include Elder Iliya Mangut Dakus (70), Luck Titus Dakus (38), Habila Istifanu Dakus (38), Hassan Istifanus Dakus (31), Mrs. Hassan Moses Dakus (25), Wisdom Lucky Dakus (15), Sunday Gideon Dakus (31), and Innocent Barnabas Makwin (20).
Tensions ran high during the burial as community members and youth leaders demanded justice and the immediate arrest of those responsible.
Speaking at the funeral, youth leader Christopher Luka condemned both the attack and the absence of security personnel, describing the incident as shocking given the area had been relatively peaceful.
Similarly, Chairman of the Plateau Youth Council in Bokkos, Dakol James, criticized the delayed response from security agencies, noting that no personnel had been deployed to the area even hours after the attack.
Community leader Yunana Amos also decried the recurring violence in the region, accusing authorities of failing to protect residents. He warned that the community may resort to protests over what they described as continued neglect.
Residents say frustration is mounting as insecurity persists in Bokkos, with growing calls for urgent government intervention to prevent further bloodshed.