Familiar Faces Behind Bokkos Killings, Says District Head

Fresh Horror in Bokkos: Locals Say Attackers Are Familiar Faces

The people of Bokkos are not just grieving — they are pointing fingers.

Alo Raymond, the District Head of Manguna in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, has broken his silence on the recent bloody attacks that left dozens dead and entire communities in ruins. According to him, the perpetrators were not outsiders or strangers. These were people the community recognized.

Raymond dropped the revelation during a peace meeting led by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede. The gathering, held in Bokkos, was meant to calm tensions and chart a path toward peace. But what the district head said was a bombshell.

He said, “The attackers of our people are not faceless; they are people we know because they didn’t mask their faces while carrying out the criminal act.”

In other words, the violence wasn’t some random banditry. It was personal. And it’s left the people of Manguna and surrounding villages feeling betrayed and exposed.

The background is grim.

On April 2, 2025, gunmen invaded several communities in the Bokkos LGA — including Hurti, Josho, Daffo, and Manguna. The massacre was swift and brutal. More than 50 lives were cut short. Over 300 houses were burned to ashes. Families fled into the bush and neighboring towns, with more than 1,000 residents now displaced.

This wasn’t the first time.

Less than a week earlier, on March 27, mourners gathered for a wake were attacked by unknown assailants. Ten people didn’t make it out alive.

Alo Raymond didn’t mince words. He said the attacks are part of a deliberate strategy to drive residents away and seize their ancestral land.

“These attacks are not random. They are aimed at grabbing our land. But we will not abandon our land. No matter how hard they try, this land is ours,” he said.

He added that the community had already taken the bold step of identifying the assailants by name and submitting the information to security agencies. “We have given their names to the security agencies and we believe necessary action will be taken,” he stressed.

But the community isn’t just waiting for miracles.

Raymond used the peace meeting to call on the military and police to step up — urgently. He demanded more boots on the ground, particularly in remote and vulnerable communities. His message was loud and clear: his people are not leaving, and they won’t be pushed into the shadows by fear.

The attack has sparked anger across Plateau State and beyond.

Civic groups, youth coalitions, and religious bodies have all condemned the violence. They’re calling for investigations — not just to punish the killers, but to unravel the web of land disputes, ethnic tensions, and alleged collusion that many believe lies beneath the surface.

“This is not just about Bokkos. This is a pattern we’ve seen across the Middle Belt,” said activist Bernard Gyang of the Plateau Peace Front. “Communities are attacked, people are displaced, and within weeks, strangers begin to occupy the land.”

Lt.-Gen. Oluyede acknowledged the gravity of the situation during the meeting. He assured community leaders that the Nigerian Army would increase its presence and work closely with local intelligence to prevent future attacks. But for many, those words will only matter if backed by action.

Meanwhile, survivors are trying to rebuild what little is left.

Displaced families now crowd IDP camps and churches in neighboring towns. Food is scarce. Medical aid is stretched thin. And the trauma of losing loved ones — especially in such a ruthless and sudden way — hangs over everyone like a shadow.

One woman who escaped the attack in Hurti said, “We ran with just our clothes. My husband was killed, and our house burned. How can we go back if there’s no security?”

The Plateau State Government has condemned the attacks and promised relief materials and rebuilding support. But locals say more than bags of rice or roofing sheets are needed. They want justice. They want their land protected. And they want to go home without fear of another ambush.

The tragedy in Bokkos is the latest in a string of violent episodes that have rocked central Nigeria. Over the years, clashes between farmers and herders, land disputes, and religious differences have ignited deadly conflict in many parts of the region. But what makes this latest one chilling is the suggestion that the attackers are not ghosts. They are known.

And that, more than anything, has deepened the wound.