Tragedy struck on Thursday, July 24, 2025, as gunmen suspected to be Fulani bandits ambushed a vehicle returning from the popular Bokkos weekly market in Plateau State, killing at least 14 people, including women and children.
The attack occurred along Chirang Road in Mangor District of Bokkos Local Government Area. Eyewitnesses told DAILY POST that the victims were traders returning home after the market when their vehicle came under heavy gunfire from the assailants.
According to one witness, who requested anonymity, the attackers blocked the road and opened fire on the unsuspecting passengers, killing several on the spot and injuring many others.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Forum (BCDF), Farmasum Fuddang, expressed outrage over the killings. In a statement released on Friday, he condemned the attack as barbaric and accused Fulani militias of being behind the violence.
“The victims were returning from the weekly market in Bokkos town when their vehicle was ambushed. The dead included women and little babies,” Fuddang said.
He noted that the attack occurred despite numerous peace and reconciliation initiatives aimed at easing tensions between farming and herding communities in the region.
“This violence occurs despite various so-called peace and reconciliation efforts,” he added. “These militias are clearly bent on seizing control of the local government, which is known as the potato headquarters of Nigeria.”
As of the time of reporting, there has been no official response from security agencies, and no group has formally claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident has sparked renewed calls for improved security measures in the region, where repeated clashes between farmers and suspected herders have left dozens dead in recent years.
