Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo decries killing of family in Bokkos attack by Fulani militias

Africa, Crime Diary

JOS, Nigeria, 12 April 2026 (NPA) — Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, Regional Leader of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), has condemned the killing of five members of a family on the night of 9 April 2026 in Mbwelle village, Forof District, Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State. The attack was allegedly carried out by armed Fulani assailants emerging from a settlement said to be under military protection.

In a statement issued today, Reverend Dachomo noted that the assault reportedly lasted for two hours without intervention from military personnel stationed less than three kilometres away. He added that, to the shock of villagers and officials attending a mass burial on 10 April, an Operation Enduring Peace gun truck, marked Operation Enduring Peace E5 and believed to belong to Sector 5, was allegedly later seen positioned in front of the Fulani settlement where witnesses claimed the attackers had retreated.

Local residents reported that the attack began around 9:00 pm with sporadic gunfire as families prepared for bed. The gunfire intensified, spreading across the village and forcing residents to flee in terror. Survivors recounted that snipers had been positioned along escape routes, shooting at anyone attempting to run for safety. Those who remained indoors were not spared, including a pregnant woman killed alongside her unborn child.

Witnesses described how the assailants shot victims and attacked others with machetes while shouting religious slogans, leaving behind devastation and grief. The attackers were said to have come from Korong, a nearby Fulani settlement reportedly occupied by force, which continues to pose a threat to surrounding communities.

The killings follow a recent attack in Angwan Rukuba, Nasarawa Gwong area of Jos North, which claimed several lives. President Bola Tinubu visited Plateau State to condole with the people after that incident. Analysts have expressed concern over the persistence of violence in the state despite the recent deployment of security personnel and equipment to the North-Central region.