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The attack on Zike and Kimakpa communities in Plateau State’s Bassa Local Government Area by gunmen on Monday, which claimed a reported 51 lives, has sparked concerns due to both communities’ proximity to the 3 Division Headquarters of the Nigerian Army.
The attack came less than two weeks after armed men also struck multiple villages in the Bokkos area of the state, killing 52 people.
In the meantime, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, on Wednesday, urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend his retreat in France and return home to address the ongoing communal clashes and killings across the country.
Obi appealed in a statement posted via his official X account, warning that the President’s continued stay in a foreign land will further exacerbate the rising wave of insecurity in the country.
The plea comes four days after the Presidency dismissed speculation that Tinubu left the shores of the country to see doctors in France, insisting that it was a working visit.
The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made the clarification when he was featured as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
PUNCH correspondent, who visited the affected communities on Tuesday, observed that they were located within a five-kilometre range from the military base.
Residents of the affected communities voiced their frustrations over the lack of security response, wondering why the military personnel stationed nearby did not intervene to prevent the attacks or minimise the damage.
“The fact that the attacks occurred without immediate intervention from the nearby military base has raised questions about the effectiveness of security measures in the area. Given the close proximity of the communities to the military base, it would be expected that security forces could respond quickly to such incidents,” a resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The PUNCH.
The incident has sparked calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attacks and the response of security forces as the villagers mourn their dead.
Efforts to get the Defence Headquarters’ Director of Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, to comment on the issue were unsuccessful. He didn’t pick up several calls to his mobile line and was yet to respond to the message sent to him on the matter as of the time of filing this report.
Victims recount ordeals
Some of the victims shared their harrowing experiences with The PUNCH, recounting the devastating impact of the violence on their families and communities.
Lancaster Akpa, 49, from Kimakpa, said he lost nine relatives in the attack, including two brothers and seven of their children, while two other relatives are currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
“I was at home in Jos around midnight on Sunday when one of my brothers in the community called me on phone that they were killing our people in the village. I couldn’t sleep any longer after I heard the news. When I called the number back, it was switched off. There was nothing I could do that night,” Akpa said.
“Very early in the morning I set out to the village and found that the attack on the village and the killings were true. From what I gathered in the village, some of those who carried out the attack wore army camouflage while others were in mufti. But they could easily identify them as Fulani.
“So, in all, I lost nine relatives during the attack – two brothers and seven of their children. Not only that, two other relatives who were injured are in the hospital. It’s very devastating that these attacks occurred and apprehending the perpetrators and bringing them to justice is the only way to assuage the feelings of our people.”
Jerry Muwa from Zike also recounted how his family narrowly escaped death during the attack. His son’s house was, however, attacked and after attempts to break the door, the attackers eventually set the house ablaze, killing six children.
Muwa attributed their survival to God’s mercy and expressed the community’s shock and grief over the tragedy.
He said, “We were having a discussion on Sunday when suddenly we started hearing gunshots but we didn’t know the direction they were coming from. At first we thought it was far until we heard it close to us, then we immediately asked the women and children to go into hiding.
“Surprisingly, this people came very prepared, it was God that helped us because they came with the aim of wiping out the whole village, so, that by morning the village would be in ashes. God in His mercy saved us, but those who are gone God took with Him. All that has happened it’s just the grace of God that I am alive.
“These people came and kept banging my son’s door to no avail even after using their guns. When they could not break the door, they burnt the house with all the six children inside. We buried their ashes yesterday (Monday) because there were no bones or flesh, just their ashes. All we have to say is it’s the Lord’s doing and we leave them with God. That’s all i can tell you. I wish this tragedy never happened.”
Gov visits victims
Meanwhile, the paramount ruler of Irigwe Nation, Ronku Aka, on Tuesday expressed gratitude to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang for visiting Zike and Kimakpa communities following Monday’s attack.
The monarch said, “It has not been easy for us within the past three days .We are very grateful to you the Governor of Plateau State .This killing happened while our people were asleep but we are happy you (governor ) came in a very good time to condole us.
“The Irigwe nation is happy to have you here to commiserate with us over what has happened. There are people who are eagerly waiting to see the downfall of Plateau State but it’s not going to happen. Plateau will continue to grow and the sky is the limit of the state. On behalf of the Irigwe people, the traditional council, Chiefdom of Irigwe and Bassa Local Government Council , being the acting president, I’m going to extend your greetings to them,” the paramount ruler told the governor.
He expressed concerns about the effectiveness of security measures, particularly a security tower with a drone that was erected to monitor the area, adding that despite the existence of the tower, the communities continued to be attacked.
The monarch urged security agents to review the situation and ensure the drone technology was utilised effectively to prevent future attacks.
He also suggested that improving the road network in the community would enable security personnel to respond more quickly to attacks, stating that if the killings continued, there might be no one left in the Irigwe nation within the next three years.
Governor Mutfwang expressed condolences and reassured both communities of his administration’s support during their trying times.
Accompanied by the state’s security chiefs, Governor Mutfwang stated that the government was reengineering the state’s security architecture to forestall further attacks and ensure lasting peace and stability across Plateau State.
“We are here to mourn with you, to pay our respects to those whose lives were cut short by this senseless act of terror. The entire nation is grieving with you, and so is the international community,” the Governor said.
“I have wept since yesterday (Monday) because we believed that all necessary measures were in place to prevent a recurrence of such tragedies. We have made significant investments in security, but as with many human efforts, they sometimes fall short. However, this incident is a painful setback for us, especially as we have made considerable progress in pursuing peace across Plateau State.”
He reiterated his administration’s determination to prevent further loss of innocent lives.
“No one has the right to take the law into their hands. Despite the provocation, we must not allow ourselves to be dragged into the abyss of lawlessness. We remain committed to building a peaceful and prosperous Plateau for all.”
IGP vows action
The Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has assured the Plateau State Government that the police will work tirelessly to identify and apprehend the masterminds behind the recent attacks on vulnerable communities in the state.
They stated this during a visit to Governor Mutfwang at the Rayfield Government House.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms these acts of violence. We recognise the severity of the incident and the severity of the situation, and the negative impact on the local farming communities in Plateau State.
NBA Speaks
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is deeply alarmed by the renewed wave of senseless killings in Plateau, Benue and other States, including the horrific massacre of a family of eight and the confirmed death of no fewer than 52 persons in the attack on Zike hamlet in Kimakpa community, Kwall district of Irigwe Chiefdom, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
These tragic events once again expose the glaring deficiencies in Nigeria’s internal security architecture and underscore the urgent need for immediate, decisive action by the government and security agencies responsible for protecting the lives and property of citizens.
The NBA unequivocally condemns these heinous attacks and calls on all relevant security and law enforcement agencies to rise to the occasion by ensuring that the perpetrators are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. No society can thrive under the persistent threat of violence. The continued killings not only violate the sanctity of human life but also erode public trust in our institutions and the rule of law.
We remind the Federal and State Governments that Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides unequivocally that:
“The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
It is, therefore, constitutionally unacceptable that Nigerians continue to live in fear, while entire communities are being routinely attacked, displaced, and devastated. The NBA calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governors of the affected states to urgently deploy robust and coordinated security strategies that prioritize intelligence gathering, rapid response, and the protection of vulnerable communities.
We also urge the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Army Staff, and other heads of security agencies to act with professionalism, urgency, and purpose in responding to these atrocities. We call on the National Human Rights Commission and civil society organizations to independently monitor these developments to ensure that victims are not forgotten and justice is pursued for every life lost.
The NBA remains resolute in its commitment to the rule of law, the protection of human rights, and the pursuit of justice for all. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and communities. May the souls of the departed rest in peace. Amen.
Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN
President, Nigerian Bar Association
