What was meant to be a routine trip home from the bustling Bokkos weekly market ended in horror for several families in Plateau State, as gunmen launched a deadly ambush, killing 14 passengers — including women and babies.
The incident occurred on Thursday, July 24, along the Chirang Road in Mangor District of Bokkos Local Government Area. Eyewitnesses say the victims had just finished trading at the popular market when their vehicle was attacked in what many are now calling one of the most chilling assaults in the area this year.
Survivors and locals told revealed that heavily armed assailants, suspected to be Fulani militants, blocked the roadway and opened fire indiscriminately. The sudden burst of violence left lifeless bodies scattered, with others critically injured.
One witness, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the horror: “They came out of nowhere and just started shooting. There were women, children… it was a massacre.”
Community leader and Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Forum (BCDF), Farmasum Fuddang, confirmed the killings in a statement released on Friday. He expressed outrage over the attack, especially in light of the numerous peace and reconciliation efforts initiated in recent months to ease tensions between farming communities and nomadic herders.
“These people were simply returning home from the market. There were women and even babies among those murdered. It’s beyond heartbreaking,” Fuddang said.
He went on to allege that the perpetrators were Fulani militias, claiming they aim to dominate the area and displace indigenous communities. According to Fuddang, “They want to take over Bokkos completely — this is about more than just violence; it’s a calculated land grab.”
The Bokkos region, known as Nigeria’s potato hub, has been at the center of increasing conflict in recent years. Thursday’s massacre has reignited calls for urgent government intervention and better protection for rural populations who face rising insecurity.
Residents are demanding that security agencies step up patrols and bring the attackers to justice. For many in Bokkos, the grief is raw, and the fear of another strike is real.
As the state and federal governments continue to push for peaceful coexistence, locals say what they need now isn’t more dialogue — but concrete action.