RismadarVoice Reporters, June 23, 2026
The death toll from the recent attack on Kawel community in Mushere Chiefdom, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, has reportedly risen beyond 30, as more victims succumb to injuries sustained during the assault.
Residents and community leaders said the attack, which occurred late Sunday night, left dozens dead and several others injured. Among the victims were reportedly healthcare workers, patients receiving treatment, and security personnel caught in the violence.
According to local sources, heavily armed attackers invaded the community while residents were asleep, unleashing violence that caused widespread destruction and loss of life.
A youth leader in Bokkos, Christopher Luka, who visited some of the victims receiving treatment, said the casualty figure continued to increase as emergency assessments progressed.
He noted that several women were among those killed and described the situation at local medical facilities as distressing. Luka also disclosed that adverse weather conditions delayed burial arrangements for some of the victims.
Community Peace Observers Chairman in Bokkos Local Government Area, Kefas Mallai, also confirmed a rise in fatalities, stating that the number of deaths recorded had exceeded earlier reports.
Mallai expressed concern over what he described as a delayed security response to distress calls during the attack. According to him, quicker intervention by security agencies could have reduced the scale of casualties.
He further alleged that security operatives had received prior information about potential threats in the area but failed to prevent the incident. He called for intensified efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible.
Meanwhile, the Plateau State Police Command has confirmed the attack and announced the commencement of investigations.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, the command said armed assailants attacked Kawel community in the early hours of June 21, prompting an immediate security response.
The statement explained that police operatives, working alongside personnel from the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit and other security agencies, were deployed to the scene where they engaged the attackers in a gun battle, forcing them to retreat.
Police authorities initially confirmed 18 deaths at the scene, while three injured persons were taken to hospital for treatment. Two of the injured victims later died, bringing the officially confirmed casualty figure at that stage to 20.
The command added that the remains of the deceased had been released to their families for burial after relatives declined requests for autopsies.
Security agencies have since launched a manhunt for the perpetrators, while residents continue to mourn the victims and assess the extent of the damage caused by the attack.
