Bokkos Killings Were Genocide and Land Grab Attempt – Governor Mutfwang
BOKKOS, PLATEAU – April 8, 2025 | IDNN Report
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has said the Bokkos killings were not random attacks but a calculated act of genocide and coordinated land grabbing. Speaking in a live interview with ARISE News on Monday night, the governor described the attacks as unprovoked and systematic, targeting vulnerable farming communities.
“What happened in the last two weeks in Bokkos is genocide. I say it unapologetically and unreservedly,” Mutfwang declared. “There is a pattern to these killings, linked to the farming season.”
A Calculated Pattern of Violence
According to Governor Mutfwang, the attacks coincide with critical agricultural periods. He noted that violence often erupts at planting season, subsides temporarily, and resumes just before the harvest. This cycle, he argued, suggests a strategy to keep local populations in perpetual poverty and displacement.
“This is about impoverishing these people and eventually driving them off their ancestral lands,” he said.
Displacement, Occupation, and Ethnic Tension
Governor Mutfwang also revealed that many displaced communities never return, as their lands are often illegally occupied for years.
“This is about land grabbing,” he continued. “We’ve seen it happen before—communities driven out, and by the time they attempt to return after three to five years, strangers have taken over.”
He rejected the suggestion that the killings were due to inter-communal conflict, insisting that faceless attackers are responsible.
“Nobody can point to specific feuding communities. That tells us this is something deeper, something externally driven.”
Porous Borders and Proliferation of Arms
The governor raised concerns about the widespread access to arms in Nigeria. He linked the surge in violence to Nigeria’s porous borders, which have allowed dangerous weapons to flood into the hands of criminal groups.
“Until we address the arms influx, we’ll keep seeing incidents like the Bokkos killings repeated elsewhere,” he warned.
“We Won’t Be Defeated”— A Governor’s Defiance
Despite the trauma of the attacks, Governor Mutfwang emphasized that the people of Plateau will not surrender to terror or intimidation.
“We are frustrated, but we are not defeated. This will not break us,” he affirmed. “We will not let external forces undo the peace we’ve worked hard to build.”
He confirmed that some arrests have been made, with suspects already giving useful disclosures to security agencies.
Calls for Justice and Federal Support
The governor appealed to the federal government and relevant agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice. He urged continued collaboration with security forces, expressing confidence in their recent efforts.
He also promised to seek compensation for the victims by reaching out to the President and humanitarian organisations, though he admitted no structured compensation plan is currently in place.
Context: Recent Plateau Killings and Land Conflict
The Bokkos killings are the latest in a series of violent attacks on farming communities in Plateau State, many of which have been linked to land disputes, ethnic cleansing, and illegal mining interests.
A recent statement by former Plateau lawmaker, Rep Dachung Bagos, claimed that land grabbing for illegal mining is one of the root causes of these killings.
Timeline of Events
Date |
Event |
|---|---|
March 2024 |
Renewed attacks on Bokkos communities begin |
April 2024 |
Governor Mutfwang declares killings as genocide |
Ongoing |
Arrests and investigations underway; justice pursued |
What to Watch
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Will federal authorities label the attacks as genocide?
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Can displaced communities safely return to their land?
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Will anti-land grabbing legislation gain traction nationally?
Governor Mutfwang’s declaration has sparked national debate and renewed urgency over land ownership, rural security, and justice in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
