By Abdul Abdul, Jos
Over 18 people were “cruelly” murdered on Thursday night by bandits suspected to be Fulani militia in Ruwi Village of Bokkos local government area of Plateau State.
The Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Alfred Alabo said in a statement on Friday evening that the Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, has condemned “the dastardly killing of innocent people.”
However, the statement was silent on the casualty figure.
A native of Bokkos who is residing in Jos, Mr. Kim Baba who said he had just returned from Bokkos on Friday noted that the killings began about 10pm on Thursday night.
According to a statement by the Plateau State Police Command: “On 27th March 2025 at about 10:00pm, the Command received a report of some unknown armed hoodlums who invaded Ruwi village at about 09:20pm and started shooting sporadically.
“As a result, some law abiding citizens of the community who were at a wake-keep ceremony mourning the demise of their loved ones unfortunately lost their lives, while others secured varying degrees of injuries.
“Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police immediately directed the DPO Bokkos division to mobilize and deploy officers to the scene for necessary action.
“The Commissioner of Police also deployed additional manpower and operational assets from the State Headquarters to Bokkos and its surrounding Local Government Areas. He also directed the Area Commander Pankshin to relocate his base to Bokkos for strict supervision of all operations and to avoid reoccurrence of such unfortunate incidents until normalcy is restored.
“To assess the situation, the Commissioner of Police visited the scene of the incidence to assess the level of deployment and to personally commensurate with families of the affected persons.”
The statement noted that the Commissioner of Police assures “the good people of Plateau State that the Command under his leadership remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of the lives and property of the good and peace loving citizens of Plateau State,” adding that the Command is “doing everything necessary within our Constitutional powers to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous and inhuman act are arrested and made to face the full weight of the law.”
He urged the citizens of Ruwi village and the surrounding communities to remain calm and cooperate with the Police as we work together to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Reacting to the incident, Central Zone Coordinator of Coalition of Plateau Central Indigenous Youths Ethnic Nationalities, Ambassador Fuddang Farti Ishaku, condemned the happenings in its entirety.
Ishaku said: “The Coalition of Plateau Central Indigenous Youths Ethnic Nationalities, we express our profound sorrow and outrage over the brutal attack and senseless killing of innocent Ruwi people by alleged Fulani terrorists on March 28, 2025. This heinous act of violence against defenseless individuals marks a grievous violation of human rights and constitutes an egregious crime against our communities.
“We vehemently condemn this attack and extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. The loss of innocent lives is a tragedy that resonates deeply within our community, and we stand united in our grief and anger.
“The Coalition of plateau central indigenous youths ethnic nationalities calls upon local, state, and federal authorities to take immediate and effective action to investigate this incident thoroughly and to bring the perpetrators to justice. It is imperative that robust measures are put in place to ensure the safety and security of our communities. We urge law enforcement agencies to enhance their presence in vulnerable areas and to implement strategies that will prevent such atrocities from occurring in the future.”
Furthermore, he implored the leaders to engage in meaningful dialogues aimed at addressing the root causes of the conflicts, saying the cycle of violence must be broken through unity, understanding, and collaboration among all ethnic nationalities in Plateau Central.
“As we mourn the loss of our fellow Ruwi citizens of Bokkos Local Government, we also call upon all peace-loving individuals and organizations to stand in solidarity with us. Together, we can advocate for justice, healing, and lasting peace in our local government, State and Nigeria,” Ishaku added.
