A new wave of suspected intercommunal violence in Nigeria’s north-central Plateau state earlier this week has resulted in the deaths of over 40 individuals, officials said on Friday.
Attackers targeted several villages on Wednesday in the diverse state, where land disputes between Muslim Fulani herders and predominantly Christian farmers frequently escalate into deadly confrontations.
As of Friday morning, Bokkos local government representative Farmasum Fuddang reported that 48 bodies had been recovered, significantly increasing the earlier count of 10. A Red Cross official said that the death toll “exceeded 40, primarily women and children.”
“Yesterday alone we made a mass burial of more than 30 people,” Fuddang said.
Although millions of Nigerians from various backgrounds cohabitate, intercommunal violence often erupts in the Plateau State. Even in urban areas, where Muslims and Christians coexist, violence originating from minor disputes can escalate into community massacres.
Maren Jushua, a resident of Manguna, recounted that unidentified assailants attacked his village on Wednesday armed with guns. From the nearby Daffo, John Mathew noted that “the number of casualties would exceed 20.”
Fuddang told reporters on Thursday that the violence was driven by “ethnic and religious cleansing” with attackers “speaking the Fulani dialect.”
Researchers indicate that the causes of conflict in the Plateau State are frequently intricate. With population growth, the land used by farmers has expanded, while grazing routes have faced pressure from climate change. Issues like land grabbing, political strife, and illegal mining contribute further to conflicts among communities.
An assault on the village of Ruwi at the end of March, under similar circumstances to this week’s events, resulted in 10 fatalities.
In response, Joyce Ramnap, the state’s information commissioner, called upon the country’s security forces “to pursue and apprehend the perpetrators of these heinous acts and ensure justice for the victims.”
Tensions in the state have intensified since approximately 200 people were killed during a brutal attack on a predominantly Christian village at Christmas 2023.
In May of last year, around 40 individuals lost their lives and homes were destroyed in the town of Wase which has a significant Muslim population.
