Authorities in Plateau State have tightened security measures in parts of the state following renewed attacks that have left several residents dead and deepened fears over the safety of farming and mining communities.
The Chairperson of Bokkos Local Government, Samuel Amalau, has ordered the suspension of all mining activities, both legal and illegal, and imposed a daily curfew in affected districts, citing escalating violence linked to mining sites and surrounding communities.
In a statement he personally signed on Sunday, Mr Amalau announced that all mining activities in Tenti and Mandar districts had been halted “until further notice.”
He said the measure was taken after consultations with security agencies and community stakeholders.
“Following the prevailing security challenges currently affecting parts of the local government, and after due consultations with relevant security agencies and stakeholders, I have approved the immediate suspension of all mining activities in Tenti and Mandar districts until further notice,” he said.
He also imposed a curfew from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. across the two districts and adjoining areas, explaining that the measure was intended to enhance surveillance and allow security agencies to operate more effectively.
The Bokkos directive comes against the backdrop of a string of deadly attacks around mining communities in Plateau.
In January, gunmen attacked a mining site in the Kuru area of Jos South Local Government Area, killing at least seven people, according to an earlier report by PUNCH Online.
In December, another attack at a mining site in the Ratoso Fan community of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area claimed 12 lives.
Local officials and residents have linked many of the incidents to armed groups described as militias, operating amid long-running ethnic and resource-related tensions in central Plateau.
Fresh killings in Riyom
Even as authorities moved to restrict mining in Bokkos, fresh violence was reported in Riyom Local Government Area, where at least three residents of the Kwi community were killed on Thursday, according to accounts from community members.
Residents told FIJ news platform that two men were attacked and killed on their farms in Derigi, a sub-community of Kwi, while another person was found dead in a nearby area the same day.
Dung Rwang, a sub-community leader in Derigi, said the community only realised what had happened when people returning from their farms discovered the bodies of their neighbours.
“This area has not been peaceful. People can no longer go freely to their farms without fear, even during the day,” he said, adding that many residents had relocated because of repeated attacks.
Riyom, alongside Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Bassa and Mangu local government areas, has been one of the flashpoints of violence in Plateau State over the past several years.
Entire villages in places such as Miango in Bassa and Mushere in Bokkos have previously been displaced by attacks, forcing residents to abandon their homes and farmlands.
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Lingering security concerns
The latest measures and killings add to mounting pressure on security agencies to stem the cycle of violence in Plateau, where attacks on farmers, miners and rural communities have persisted despite military and police deployments.
The Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, could not be reached for comments on the renewed attacks. He did not respond to calls or messages as of the time of filing this report.
Authorities in Bokkos have urged residents to comply with the mining suspension and curfew, warning that violators would be dealt with under the law, while appealing for calm and cooperation as security operations are intensified.
