From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Residents of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State have sent a Save Our Souls (SOS) message to President Bola Tinubu, imploring him to send special forces to the area as the security agents appeared overwhelmed by the spate of killings in the area.
This came as a resurgence of attacks in Fiton Mbar community in Bokkos local government area of Plateau, in the early hours of yesterday, claimed five more lives.
This was after the police in Jos had confirmed that 79 people were killed in Bokkos, while 17 lost their lives in the Christmas Eve spontaneous attacks in Barkin Ladi and Bokkos local government areas of the state.
In an SOS sent to Daily Sun, via text message, a resident, Makut Alfred Mashat, said the new attack came as the residents were planning to bury 25 bodies killed Maiyanga and Tenti Baba all in Mandar Butura ward of Bokkos LGA.
In the frantic text Mashat said, “There is chaos in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi of Plateau State and the soldiers have been overwhelmed.
“The attacks started on 24th December, and despite the late arrival of security operatives that were inadequate, against the firepower of the marauding hired Fulani herdsmen from neighbouring African countries, the attacks continued to Christmas Day and up till this morning.
“An attack was carried out in the morning hours of today, December 26, 2023, at Fiton Mbar rendering five people lifeless, as we prepare to bury 17 killed in Maiyanga and eight in Dares (sic) in Tenti Baba, all in Mandar Butura ward of Bokkos LGA, today, at 10am this morning.
“We are sending an SOS to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to send in specialised forces from Abuja, led by the Chief of Army and Defence Staff to neutralise the terrorists. This is broad day light terrorism that seems to reclaim the geographical part of the Middle Belt from the Nigerian map. The idea is to send the villagers packing, while they occupy the land.
“As it stands, most of the villages have been deserted and surrounded by herdsmen and the soldiers can’t overpower their firepower.”