Residents of Rafut village in the Kwatas area, where the attack occurred on Monday night, said the gunmen ambushed and killed four young men guarding their family’s homes.
They said that the attackers invaded the compound and killed an elderly man before fleeing, bringing the overall death toll to five.
The deaths were reported to have occurred shortly after a security meeting with local stakeholders.
Farmasum Fuddang, Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council, acknowledged the deaths on Tuesday in a statement signed jointly with the association’s secretary, Duwam Bosco.
The statement, headed “Another Tragic Attack Claims Five Lives in Bokkos Despite Advance Warnings”, said, “With deep regret, we wish to report that our communities have once again fallen victim to violence, with five of our members confirmed dead following an attack yesterday, October 14. This tragic occurrence follows a week of savage attacks, during which we buried over ten members of our community: five in Wumat on October 7 and four in Kuba on October 10. One in Maikatako on October 11, and another on October 12.
Furthermore, we have seen multiple attacks over the past month, including two in Tarangol on the same day, five in Mbar on September 16, two in Kop Mandarken on September 27, and six fatalities in Daffo on September 3. Shortly after 7 PM on October 14, terrorists who were identified by witnesses as belonging to the Fulani tribe brutally attacked the village of Rafut in the Kwatas district, despite credible warnings from a trustworthy media outlet on October 12. Even after a security conference with military and police officials in Bokkos on October 13, this unprovoked attack took place. Tragically, four young men who were out keeping watch over their family’s house were ambushed.
“The attackers then tore across the compound, killing an old man, therefore increasing the overall death count to five. Another young man was attacked while riding his motorbike close to Maikatako just a day earlier, underscoring the growing violence in our area. We applaud the military’s prompt action in rescuing Yelwa Sunday Mashat, who is still recuperating from serious wounds he received during the assault. We also acknowledge the capture of other suspects and the enormous herds of cattle that blocked the victim’s path by driving into the road.
“However, it is with deep regret that we observe the attack on Rafut occurred despite advance warnings clearly identifying these areas as at risk. More worrisome is the fact that it occurred mere hours after residents of Rafut reached out to police authorities reporting suspicious activity by Fulani groups in the area. Similar intelligence was shared shortly after the Wumat attack on October 7, including names of identified suspects, who still roam free.”
The statement demanded an urgent establishment of a civilian task force to address future occurrences.
“This situation underscores our urgent calls for the establishment of a civilian joint task force. The lack of such a group has discouraged local residents from taking part in neighbourhood watch programs, especially in light of previous incidents in which residents defending their areas were shot or arrested by military forces.
“A joint task force would facilitate better intelligence sharing, eliminate misunderstandings, and significantly reduce response times during future invasions. While we recognize the military’s vital role in safeguarding lives and property, we understand the manpower and logistical challenges faced by troops. Therefore, we reiterate our request for assistance, as local residents possess invaluable knowledge of the terrain and can better support military efforts.
“We have a strong dedication to our land and the continuous threat we face, which is the basis for our demands. As terrorists from hundreds of miles away massacre and uproot us in order to seize control of our towns, we cannot watch helplessly. Since the Christmas attacks on 26 of our villages, this long-term objective has been carried out more methodically and aggressively in recent months, killing almost 400 of our people.
“We wish to clarify that our appeals for involvement in our security management is a mark of respect for constituted authorities and our desire for a harmonious relationship with the military. Nonetheless, we are acutely aware of our constitutional right to self-defence, which we will exercise vigorously to protect our people.
“Any intention to raid or detain community members who are putting their lives in danger to protect our neighbourhoods is documented here. We reassure our members that if someone is rightfully using their right to self-defence, we will support them diplomatically and legally. We encourage everyone to be personally accountable for their own safety. We send our sincere sympathies to the families of the Rafut assault victims. We demand that the government assume accountability for the injured people’s medical care. We demand once more that Sale Yusuf, Yusuf Adamu, Umar Ori, and Muhammad Gorte be taken into custody for their involvement in earlier threats in the region.
A public statement about the deaths has not yet been released by the Plateau State Police Command.
