Residents of Plateau communities in flee over fear of fresh attacks

Tension and fear of fresh attacks have gripped residents of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State in the aftermath of the Christmas eve massacre, in which gunmen killed over 195 persons, injured more than 3,000 and got over 10,000 persons displaced.

According to reports, the residents are fleeing their communities in droves after reports emerged on Friday of another attack by the murderous gunmen.

It was learnt that following the rumour, many residents of Bokkos town fled the area to Jos and other communities they considered safe.

It was further gathered that following the mass exodus of people, transport operators took advantage of the situation to hike the fare from N1,500 to N3,000, just as helicopters were seen hovering over Bokkos town and surrounding villages, which suffered devastating attacks from terrorists.

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Speaking on the tension in the communities, the Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos Local Government Area, Kefas Mallai, who confirmed the situation in Jos on Friday, said: “We are still living in fear. Many of the people from the communities in Bokkos that were attacked have moved out of those places. Even now, people are moving out of Bokkos town because, after the visit of Vice-President Kashim Shettima and other top military officers as well as the Inspector-General of Police, there has been a rumour that Bokkos town will be attacked before New Year’s Eve and a good proportion of the population – residents and IDPs, farmers and herders – are packing out with their families out of Bokkos LGA.

“There’s a rumour that Bokkos town, where thousands of IDPs settled for the meantime, will be attacked heavily in one of the nights before the New Year.

“One of the farmers, who is also an IDP, told me that a herder met her and gave her the warning early on Thursday. The same rumour is making the rounds in the IDP camps that farmers were planning to attack them.

“The rumour has forced many IDPs from both sides and other residents to move to other places outside Bokkos LGA. As I’m talking to you, because of the rumour, transport fare from Bokkos to Jos has now increased from the regular N1,500 to between N3,000 and N4,000 as drivers complain that they only take passengers to Jos and come back empty as people are scared of coming to Bokkos.

“In light of the above, Bokkos town needs proper security cover, especially between now and the New Year’s Day.”

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