Residents of Suwa and Ding’ak villages in Mushere chiefdom, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, were thrown into mourning on Friday, August 8, 2025, when armed bandits unleashed a deadly attack, killing at least four people, including a pastor, and injuring several others.
Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers struck between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., arriving in large numbers and firing sporadically at residents. The sudden violence forced hundreds of villagers to flee for safety, abandoning their homes and belongings in a desperate bid to escape the gunfire.
The Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos, Mr. Kefas Mallai, confirmed the incident during a briefing with journalists in Jos on Friday night. According to him, the victims of the attack include Pastor Gideon Katings, who served with the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Suwa; Mr. Sunday Ringkang; and Mr. Meshach Bukata.
Mallai further revealed that Mr. Michael Kamshak and several other villagers sustained varying degrees of gunshot wounds. The injured are currently receiving treatment at the Cottage Hospital in Bokkos.
“Between 1:00 and 2:00 this afternoon, terrorists invaded Suwa and Ding’ak villages, killing three people on the spot, including Pastor Gideon Katings. Several others were injured and are now in hospital. Hundreds of residents have been displaced as a result of the attack,” Mallai stated.
Local sources disclosed that the assault on Suwa and Ding’ak was not the only violence recorded that day. Earlier, the same assailants were reported to have killed Mr. Stephen Ngumap, a former choirmaster and current assistant secretary of the RCC Ik’ngwakap, also in Mushere. His killing further deepened the grief already hanging over the community.
The attack has sparked fresh concerns over the recurring wave of armed violence in Bokkos LGA, a region that has faced multiple incidents of insecurity in recent years. Residents are now calling for urgent intervention by security agencies to restore peace and protect lives and property.
Community leaders have also appealed to both the Plateau State Government and the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel to vulnerable rural communities in the state. They warn that without swift action, the displacement crisis could worsen, with more families left homeless and livelihoods destroyed.
As at the time of filing this report, security forces had yet to issue an official statement on the attack, and no group had claimed responsibility. However, locals insist that the gunmen were heavily armed and operated with alarming confidence, suggesting they may have carried out similar assaults in the past without facing serious resistance.
The incident adds to the long list of violent attacks that have plagued Plateau State, particularly in rural areas, fueling fears of further unrest if urgent measures are not taken.