At least 20 people have been confirmed dead after gunmen attacked Kawel community in Mushere District, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State in the early hours of Sunday, June 21.
The Nigerian Police in Plateau state in the north-central of Nigeria said on Tuesday, June 23, that the weekend attack on a community in Bokkos district was the latest in a region plagued by communal attacks, despite repeated security deployments and government vows to stem the attacks.
The Plateau State Police Command said the assailants invaded the community around 4:40 am, opening fire on residents while they slept. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, confirmed that 18 victims were killed at the scene, while two others died later in the hospital.
Community leaders say the toll may be higher. A local youth leader and the Red Cross reported 22 deaths, including women, health workers, patients, and security personnel. The attackers also reportedly targeted the Primary Health Care Centre in the area.
“The Plateau State police command is deeply saddened to confirm an attack on Kawel Community, Mushere District, Bokkos Local Government Area… by a group of armed hoodlums,” the police statement read.
Commissioner of Police, CP Bassey Ewah, ordered the immediate deployment of personnel from the Violent Crime Response Unit and sister security agencies. Officers engaged the attackers in a “fierce gun battle” before they fled. Additional tactical and mobile police units have since been deployed to the area.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olutunji Disu, has deployed AIG Dankombo Morris to Plateau State for an on-the-spot assessment and to coordinate further security measures.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the attack as “heinous and senseless,” directing security agencies to intensify operations and apprehend the perpetrators. He also ordered emergency and humanitarian agencies to provide relief to affected families.
Plateau State, part of Nigeria’s ethnically diverse “Middle Belt,” has been plagued by communal conflicts between farmers and herders over land and resources, claiming hundreds of lives in recent years. Bokkos LGA remains one of the worst hit, with similar attacks recorded last year and just days earlier this month.
The remains of victims have been released to their families for burial, as families declined autopsies. Investigations and manhunt operations are ongoing.
