No fewer than 18 people have lost their lives following separate attacks by armed assailants on Kawel and Kopkon communities in the Mushere district of Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State.
The attacks occurred late Sunday night when the gunmen reportedly stormed the communities and opened fire on residents, many of whom were asleep at the time. The violence triggered panic as villagers fled their homes in search of safety.
Community leaders said distress calls were received shortly after midnight, alerting them to the deadly assault. Initial reports indicated that several residents were shot during the attack, with the death toll later rising as more victims were discovered.
Security agencies were promptly informed of the incident and reportedly moved to the affected areas after receiving reports of the violence.
Local stakeholders described the killings as senseless and called on security authorities to intensify efforts to safeguard communities across the area and prevent further attacks.
The incident comes just days after the killing of a traditional leader in Bokkos Local Government Area, raising fresh concerns over the security situation in the region.
At the time of reporting, authorities had not released an official statement regarding the latest attack.
