At least 47 people have been confirmed dead and many others injured following a brutal attack on Zike and Kimakpa communities in Kwall District of Irigwe Chiefdom, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday night, left the affected communities in grief and devastation, as survivors recount the horror.
Danjuma Dickson Auta, the Secretary General of the Irigwe Development Association (IDA), who confirmed the attack in a telephone interview with BusinessDay, stated that 47 bodies had so far been recovered and still counting.
“An attack on Zike, Kimakpa community in Kwall District of Irigwe Chiefdom 47 confirmed killed with many injured,” he said.
According to him, the scale of the violence suggests a well-planned and coordinated assault on the community.
As of the time of filing this report, both the Plateau State Police Command and the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have yet to release any official statement regarding the killings.
The latest attack adds to a growing list of violent incidents in Plateau State, coming barely two weeks after the April 2, massacre in Bokkos Local Government Area, where more than 50 people were reportedly killed.
The recurrence of such deadly assaults has raised questions about the effectiveness of security arrangements and the commitment of authorities to protect vulnerable communities.
Community leaders have repeatedly called on the government and security agencies to take urgent and decisive action to halt the ongoing bloodshed.
They warn that unless proactive steps are taken, the cycle of violence may continue to spiral, threatening the fragile peace in the state.
