February 20, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
A surge in violence in Plateau State, central Nigeria, has left at least five youths dead and several livestock stolen in renewed attacks attributed to suspected armed militias, compounding longstanding communal tensions in the region. The incidents, which occurred in the Bokkos Local Government Area, have sparked fresh fear among residents and raised urgent calls for strengthened security intervention.
According to eyewitnesses, gunmen on motorcycles stormed rural settlements late on Friday, February 20, 2026, opening fire on young men grazing cattle and harvesting crops. At least five youths were killed in the initial raid, and attackers also drove off a number of cows and other livestock, a key source of livelihood for agrarian families in the area. Locals described scenes of panic as the armed men fired into open fields before disappearing into nearby forests.
One resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said that the attackers surrounded several hamlets, cutting off escape routes and dragging unarmed youths into nearby bushes where they were shot. The killings have reignited fears of reprisal cycles between competing rural communities, whose relations have been strained by disputes over land, grazing rights and political representation.
The theft of cattle — which serves as both a form of wealth and livelihood — further deepens the economic hardship facing affected families. Cattle rustling has long been a flashpoint in Plateau and neighboring states, with armed groups increasingly using livestock raids to finance operations and exert territorial control. Survivors reported tracking the stolen animals for miles without success, suggesting the marauders had already moved them to secure hideouts.
Security officials in Jos, the state capital, confirmed the incidents but provided limited details, stating that troops and police units were mobilised to the scene. A spokesperson assured the public that reinforcements were being deployed to prevent further attacks and protect vulnerable communities, although residents dissent that local patrols remain insufficient amid the expanding militia threat.
Analysts say the recent killings reflect deeper structural issues in Plateau — including weak state authority in rural districts, proliferation of small arms, and breakdown in traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms. The region has witnessed repeated cycles of violence between farming and herding communities over decades, often exacerbated by political manipulation and ineffective security responses.
Calls are growing among civil society groups for the Plateau State Government and the Federal Government to ramp up preventive measures, including community policing, conflict mediation, and disarmament initiatives. Without urgent intervention, observers warn that retaliatory attacks could trigger broader insecurity threatening lives and livelihoods across central Nigeria