The Bokkos Cultural Development Forum Vanguard has strongly condemned Thursday’s deadly attacks across communities in Plateau State’s Bokkos Local Government Area, which left at least 17 dead and several injured.
In a press statement signed by Chairman Farmasum Fuddang and Secretary Duwam Bosco, the group described the late-night assaults as “senseless and brutal,” alleging the attackers spoke Fulani dialect while executing “genocidal” violence aimed at “destabilizing peaceful communities.”
The coordinated violence struck multiple locations:
Jwan village (Tangur district): 10 killed, 6+ injured
Mangor: 1 fatality earlier Thursday
Chakfem (Mangu LGA): 6 deaths in culturally-linked neighboring community
“These heinous acts, targeting unarmed civilians in their sleep, unequivocally highlight the genocidal intentions of the perpetrators,” the statement read, accusing security agencies of failing to act on advance warnings.
The BCDF revealed disturbing pre-attack indicators:
Unidentified helicopters hovering over Mushere
Suspicious cattle movements with armed motorcycle escorts
Repeated landings of unmarked helicopters near Nasarawa border forests
“These helicopters are not painted in police or military colours, and their nocturnal operations suggest collusion involving influential actors,” the forum warned, demanding a federal probe into possible terrorist collusion.
The group criticized the harassment of local vigilantes who allegedly receive “little to no support” despite their frontline role, contrasting this with successful community-defense models in Northeast/Northwest Nigeria.
“Integrating these guards would improve collaboration between communities and law enforcement while restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding lives,” the BCDF argued, urging formal recognition for local security networks.
The statement concluded with an urgent appeal: “Our communities cannot continue to live in fear while perpetrators roam freely. We demand justice, protection, and the restoration of peace across Plateau State.”