Gunmen have reportedly launched a deadly attack on mourners in Ruwi community, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed ten persons.

The mourners were said to have gathered at a deceased family’s house in the community when the gunmen attacked them on Thursday night.

According to eyewitnesses, the victims were mostly women, with seven being brutally clubbed to death with machetes.

Witnesses added that three men were among those killed, while two other women were injured in the attack.

The Chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos LG, Mr. Kefas Mallai, confirmed the killings to The PUNCH in Jos on Friday, stating that the perpetrators took advantage of the mourners’ gathering to carry out the heinous act.

Mallai noted that security personnel were alerted to the attack, but unfortunately, they arrived after the perpetrators had fled the scene.

The chairman said, “Yes, it is true. It was around 10pm yesterday, March 27, 2025, at Ruwi community in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau state.

“The victims were mostly women. Seven women were clubbed to death with matchettes. Three men were killed, too, with two other women injured because many of them were women.

“They came to mourn their loved one that died a natural death. So, they were just there as is our tradition which demands that they would gather at the deceased family house and many of them would sleep over till the next day and even three days especially relatives just to keep the deceased family company.

“So that was the situation, and the enemy took advantage of that and came in the night and slaughtered the mourners around 10pm. I learnt the perpetrators were killer Fulani herders. When the attack was taking place, I learnt security men were called to the village, but before they could arrive at the place, the killers had finished their evil act and fled the scene.

“But as it is now, there is no any retaliation from the community and even the Bokkos town is calm but if you go the affected community, that is where you will see crowd that has gathered, bemoaning the calamity that has befallen the people ”

“So at the moment, the community is currently in a state of shock and mourning, with many gathering at the affected community to bemoan the calamity”

When contacted, the Spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, could not be reached immediately as his phone indicated that it was switched off.

The attack came barely one week after the police Command had convened an enlarged stakeholders meeting where participants, including farmers and herders, pledged to keep the peace in the state.

[Punch]