By Toba Owojaiye
Zike, Bassa LGA, Plateau State – April 14, 2025 — Grief and disbelief hang heavy over the Irigwe Chiefdom in Plateau State after an overnight attack claimed the lives of no fewer than 49 persons in Zike hamlet, Kimakpa community, Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area. The deadly raid occurred while most residents were asleep, as sporadic gunshots rang out from multiple directions, shattering the fragile calm in the region.
Truth Live News gathered from the National Publicity Secretary of the Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Sam Jugo, that the massacre began around midnight on Sunday, April 13, and continued into the early hours of Monday. Survivors and eyewitnesses described scenes of horror as assailants believed to be Fulani militia stormed the village, setting homes ablaze and gunning down fleeing villagers.
“By morning, 49 bodies were recovered,” Jugo reported, adding that the number of injured remains unknown. “This is not an isolated incident. Just last week, nine others were killed. Since December 2024, our people have lost no fewer than 75 lives.”
Despite warnings and intelligence reports of a looming threat, residents say security responses fell short. “Security agencies were notified beforehand. The Sector 3 Commander even confirmed this and deployed personnel. Yet the massacre went ahead,” Jugo lamented, questioning the effectiveness of the Drone Station located in Kwall.
He issued an emotional appeal for calm among the Irigwe people, even as tensions run high: “We urge our people to stay calm and trust that justice will be done. But we call on the Federal and State Governments to intervene now before this escalates into a major humanitarian catastrophe.”
The Plateau State Government swiftly condemned the attack, labeling it a grave provocation that threatens the fragile peace in the state. In a statement, Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, described the violence as “one too many.”
“In less than two weeks after Bokkos LGA was attacked, we are here again mourning another community in Bassa,” she said. “This pattern of violence seeks to unravel the peace we have painstakingly rebuilt.”
She reiterated the administration’s resolve to prosecute anyone found complicit in such acts, while appealing to residents to shun reprisals and work with security forces to identify the culprits.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident highlighting the security challenges facing Plateau, troops from the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH) successfully rescued 16 kidnapped passengers, including six children, along the Jos-Mangu road on the same night.
Major Samson Zhakom, OPSH’s Media Information Officer, said troops discovered an abandoned vehicle near Mararaban Kantoma around 9:00 pm. Suspecting foul play, they launched a search and were engaged by armed kidnappers in a gunfight.
“Our troops returned fire with superior force, compelling the kidnappers to flee and abandon their captives. All 16 passengers were rescued,” Zhakom confirmed, adding that first aid was administered to those with minor injuries.
The troops have since launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects, some of whom may have sustained gunshot wounds during the confrontation.
The twin events—mass killings in Bassa and the kidnappings in Mangu— reveal a pattern in the persistent insecurity plaguing Plateau State and much of Nigeria’s Middle Belt. While security agencies continue to record some operational successes, the repeated loss of lives and destruction of communities expose glaring vulnerabilities in intelligence coordination and response time.
As the region mourns yet again, the nation watches with bated breath, hoping for firm action that goes beyond condemnation and into the realm of justice, protection, and enduring peace.