Plateau: 40 killed in fresh attack on Zike Community

The cycle of violence in Plateau State has taken another grim turn as 40 people were reportedly killed in a fresh attack on Zike community in the Kimakpa, Kwall district of Bassa Local Government Area.

According to local leader Wakili Tongwe, the attackers stormed the community in the early hours of Monday, opening fire on residents who fled in panic upon hearing gunshots.

Speaking to Channels Television, Tongwe explained that he and a team of vigilantes, along with some security personnel, were patrolling a neighboring area when the gunmen struck.

Although security forces responded and eventually repelled the assailants, the damage was already done—36 people were confirmed dead on the spot, with four more succumbing to injuries later. Several others sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

Security agencies have yet to issue a formal statement on the incident, which comes less than two weeks after 52 people were killed in a series of attacks in Bokkos Local Government Area.

Plateau State has endured repeated waves of deadly violence for decades. The region, largely inhabited by farming communities, has often been the site of violent clashes that experts say are driven by resource-based conflict between farmers and herders. However, the sheer scale and frequency of recent attacks suggest deeper, more coordinated aggression.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang has expressed concern that the assaults go beyond mere land disputes. In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the governor described the ongoing violence as “genocide sponsored by terrorists,” and urged security agencies to unmask those behind the orchestrated killings.

He revealed that 64 communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom Local Government Areas have already been overtaken and renamed by bandits, with displaced locals forced out of their ancestral homes.

“As I am talking to you, there are not less than 64 communities that have been taken over by bandits on the Plateau. They have been taken over, renamed, and people are living there conveniently on lands they pushed people away to occupy,” Mutfwang said.

Reacting to the escalating crisis, the Federal Government has pledged a tough stance. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate deployment of tactical police units to the affected regions in a bid to restore order and protect residents.

As the people of Plateau continue to mourn, the call for justice and lasting peace grows louder. For many, the questions remain: Who is behind these attacks, and when will the violence end?