At least eight people have been confirmed dead following a violent ambush on Kukawa village in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday.
The attack, carried out by armed men believed to be part of a group known as “Hulabe”, has once again highlighted the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria’s north-central region.
The assault occurred around 2:30 p.m., when over 300 fighters on motorcycles stormed the village under the pretense of combating bandits that have long plagued the area.
“They said they came to fight bandits. But shortly after arriving, they started looting shops and shooting to scare people away,” said Ismail Isa Kukawa, the village head.
Witnesses say the attackers ransacked local stores, stealing goods worth millions of naira before retreating into nearby forests. Two traders en route to the local market were also killed as the group fled the scene.
Kukawa village, which sits at a strategic border shared by Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba States, has suffered repeated attacks in recent months, with local authorities struggling to contain the escalating violence.
The latest assault has raised further alarm, especially as a vigilante group that had launched a counter-effort to track the assailants across Wase and Kanam LGAs has gone missing. Their fate remains unknown.
Speaking on the incident, Shehu Kanam, Secretary of the Kanam Development Association, decried the growing lawlessness in the region.
“Kukawa and neighboring communities have endured sustained attacks from criminal elements. These assaults have not only led to loss of lives but also destroyed livelihoods,” he stated.
Residents continue to call for urgent intervention from both state and federal authorities to restore security and prevent further bloodshed.
