The recent killing of at least 52 people in Plateau State is a sad reminder of the continued violence in the region and the need for urgent action to curb the menace.
Development Diaries reports that bandits carried out a series of violent attacks recently on five communities in the Bokkos local government area of Plateau State.
According to media reports, the latest attacks happened just six days after a similar attack occurred in Ruwi community during a wake-keeping ceremony, where 10 people were also killed and three others sustained injuries.
Many of the victims were buried in a mass grave, and five children were reportedly burnt to death in Hurti village.
It is understood that more people are still missing, and search teams are working to find them.
This terrible incident has left many families in pain and fear, raising serious concerns about the safety of people living in these communities.
Sadly, this is not the first time such violence has happened in Plateau State. In December 2023, over 200 people were killed during Christmas celebrations in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi LGAs in one of the worst massacres in the region’s history.
In May 2023, at least 40 people were also killed and many homes burnt in Wase LGA
Human rights group Amnesty International reported that over 1,336 people were killed in similar violent incidents in northern Nigeria in 2020 alone.
These repeated killings show that the security system is not strong enough to protect lives and stop such attacks from happening.
Although the Plateau State Government has condemned the recent violence and said arrests have been made, these promises often don’t lead to real change.
Armed groups continue to attack villages, and people feel abandoned by those meant to protect them. The government needs to do more than send soldiers after attacks have happened; it must stop the violence before it starts.
President Bola Tinubu, on assuming office, promised to implement security measures to curb these attacks; however, thus far, these assurances have proven to be hollow.
The blatant disregard for the rights of Nigerian citizens by the government is progressively becoming a norm.
Development Diaries calls on President Tinubu and the Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang to act now to bring an end to these killings and bring those responsible to justice.
Security forces should work closely with community leaders and use better methods to find and stop attackers early.
Photo source: Kim Masara/AFPTV/AFP
