BASSA, Nigeria – Plateau State has once again been rocked by violence as forty people were killed in a brutal attack on the Zike community, located in the Kwall district of Bassa Local Government Area.
The assault occurred early on Monday, April 14, 2025, with gunmen invading the village and opening fire on residents who were fleeing for safety.
Wakili Tongwe, a community leader from Kwall, described the attack as swift and deadly. He recounted that the assailants arrived in the early hours, firing sporadically as villagers scrambled to escape the onslaught.
Tongwe, who was on patrol with a team of vigilantes and security personnel in a nearby community, was unable to intervene in time to prevent the carnage.
“We were on patrol in another community when we received the news that Zike was under attack,” Tongwe told Channels Television, adding that the situation was made worse by the confusion and fear that spread through the village as gunshots rang out.
This recent attack adds to the growing list of violent incidents in Plateau State, which has long been a hotspot for conflict.
Last year, approximately 200 people were killed during Christmas celebrations in an attack on a predominantly Christian community.
Another incident in May 2024 saw around 40 people killed, and homes set ablaze, in Wase town.
The state has been plagued by such attacks, with both farmers and herders often cited as the primary actors in the ongoing violence over resources.
Experts and locals alike have frequently attributed these killings to the longstanding conflict between farmers and herders over land and water resources, exacerbated by economic pressures.
However, Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang has suggested that there may be other underlying factors contributing to the continued violence.
