No fewer than 70 members of a local vigilante group were killed on Monday after gunmen suspected to be bandits ambushed them near Kukawa and Bunyun communities in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The tragic incident occurred around 2 p.m. and was confirmed by Aliyu Baffa, Chairman of the Kukawa vigilante group. According to Baffa, the vigilantes were en route to a suspected bandit hideout in the government-owned Madam Forest, located just about a kilometre from Kukawa town, when they were ambushed by heavily armed assailants.
“The bandits opened fire with sophisticated weapons and killed over 70 of our men instantly,” Baffa said.
He also disclosed that, prior to the ambush, tensions had risen as some vigilante members, in frustration, turned on residents, vandalising shops, looting phones, and seizing nearly 30 motorcycles. “They accused us of shielding the bandits and forcefully collected more than 150 mobile phones from homes,” Baffa stated. “We insisted the criminals were in the forest and not among us.”
Shortly after, the vigilantes advanced toward the forest. “Twenty minutes later, we heard heavy gunfire. Soon after, some of the vigilantes returned, reporting that they had been overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the bandits,” he added.
Later that evening, a mass burial was held for over 70 vigilantes in Kukawa. Baffa noted that several members were still missing, and the actual death toll could rise as search efforts continue in the surrounding bushland.
In Bunyun village, a resident named Musa Ibrahim confirmed a similar attack. He said 10 local vigilantes were killed while defending the community, and several homes were razed by the attackers.
Plateau State has endured repeated episodes of banditry and violence in recent years. In April 2022, more than 50 people were killed during coordinated attacks on four villages in Kanam LGA, including Kukawa, with over 100 homes reportedly set on fire. The assault forced mass displacements, with residents fleeing to Dangi, the local government headquarters.
More recently, on June 19, 2025, a clash between bandits and a joint force of soldiers and vigilantes in Wase LGA’s Dutsen Zaki community left several bandits dead. Similarly, on June 5, troops raided a bandit hideout in Kadil Masudu village, killing at least five suspected kidnappers.
Earlier in May, residents of Dogon Ruwa in the Bashar District of Wase also fled their homes after suspected bandits stormed the community.
The latest ambush in Kanam marks one of the deadliest single-day losses among local vigilante groups in the state, underscoring the escalating insecurity in Plateau and the urgent need for coordinated security interventions.
