A night of sorrow turned into a massacre as gunmen launched a brutal attack on mourners in Ruwi community, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing ten people in cold blood.
The tragic incident occurred on Thursday night when villagers had gathered at the family house of a deceased individual to observe traditional mourning rites.
Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, believed to be armed Fulani herders, struck around 10 p.m., taking advantage of the mourners’ vulnerability.
The victims were mostly women, with seven of them reportedly hacked to death with machetes. Three men also lost their lives in the gruesome assault, while two other women sustained injuries.
Confirming the attack, the Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos LG, Mr. Kefas Mallai, expressed deep sorrow over the incident. “Yes, it is true. It happened around 10 p.m. last night in Ruwi community.
The victims were mainly women, with seven of them clubbed to death using machetes, alongside three men. Two other women were left with injuries,” Mallai said.
He explained that, according to tradition, mourners usually keep vigil at the deceased's house for several days, providing comfort to the bereaved family.
“They had gathered to mourn their loved one who passed naturally. But the attackers saw this as an opportunity to carry out their evil act. The security forces were alerted but, unfortunately, arrived after the killers had fled,” he added.
Mallai further noted that while the larger Bokkos town remains calm, the affected community is in deep shock and mourning.
“Right now, the village is filled with grieving residents, struggling to come to terms with the calamity that has befallen them,” he lamented.
Efforts to reach the Spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, for official comments were unsuccessful, as his phone remained switched off at the time of reporting.
This horrifying attack comes barely a week after the Plateau State Police Command convened a stakeholder meeting where both farmers and herders pledged to maintain peace in the region.
The latest violence raises fresh concerns over the recurring conflicts in Plateau State and the security of its rural communities.