Gunmen kill pastor, seven others in fresh Plateau attacks

At least eight people, including a pastor, have been killed in renewed attacks on communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Confirming the development on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos, Kefas Mallai, said the violence began late Sunday night when armed men stormed Kwakas-Mushere village and attacked the residence of Pastor Mimang Lekyil of COCIN LCC Church. The clergyman was killed in the attack, while his wife was shot in the leg and is currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

“The incident occurred around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. The pastor was murdered in his home, and his injured wife has been taken to JUTH. His body has been deposited at Luna Hospital mortuary in Bokkos,” Mallai stated.

Tensions escalated on Monday when enraged local youths reportedly set ablaze structures belonging to Fulani residents in the same area in retaliation for the pastor’s killing. Security operatives were swiftly deployed to prevent further escalation and to restore calm.

However, later that same day, at about 9:00 p.m., suspected herders launched another attack on the nearby Mbor community in Mushere, killing seven more villagers. By the time security forces arrived, the attackers had fled, and the fatalities had already been recorded.

Mallai raised concerns about the lack of adequate security in the area, noting that the continuing violence had forced women and children from nearby settlements such as Kopmur to flee in search of safety.

“There’s minimal presence of security personnel at the moment. People are fleeing from Kopmur and other communities around Mbor,” he said. “I’ve called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), but I couldn’t reach him. I eventually spoke with the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), who said they had deployed personnel to the area.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alabo Alfred, confirmed the incident and assured that the situation was under control. He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, had ordered the deployment of additional operatives to maintain peace and order in the affected communities.

The latest attack adds to the growing insecurity in Plateau State, where clashes between farming communities and suspected armed herders continue to result in casualties and displacement.