The latest wave of violence in Nigeria has claimed the lives of 22 Christians in a brutal attack on Kawell Village in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. The assault, which lasted three hours, occurred on June 21, as the village commemorated the first anniversary of the Yelwata massacre, in which Fulani militants killed over 250 people in Benue State.
The attack on Kawell Village was methodical, with gunmen entering homes one by one, moving quietly between houses. One survivor, Yafubu Samuel Domshak, a 41-year-old youth leader, described the scene, saying, "Immediately they replied the light, the next thing they heard was gunshot, and that was how they killed about five people in that very house."
The attackers showed inside knowledge of the village, bypassing surveillance teams and using an unmonitored route toward where mobile police were posted. Domshak alleged that former Fulani neighbors, who had previously lived in the village but left due to fear of retaliatory violence, may have provided the attackers with crucial information about the village's layout and residents.
Two additional security failures compounded the assault. A convoy of soldiers passed through the village the evening before the attack, but failed to return until after the attack was over. Separately, five soldiers stationed at a nearby checkpoint were contacted while the attack was still in progress, but arrived too late to prevent the killings.
The Kawell attack is one of several incidents of violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt region in recent weeks. On June 16, armed men attacked Ungwan Magaji village in Kaduna State, killing nine residents and injuring at least 11 others. The dead included four children. Earlier that week, the District Head of Gwande in Bokkos Local Government Area was ambushed and killed.
The attacks coincide with the first anniversary of the Yelwata massacre, which saw Fulani militants kill over 250 people in Benue State. Survivors of the massacre have spoken out about the ongoing threat posed by the attackers, who still occupy nearby farmlands and continue to threaten their return.
The violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt region has left many residents feeling vulnerable and anxious about their safety. As one survivor, Yafubu Samuel Domshak, said, "We are still looking for our people. People are missing. People have died. We are not going anywhere."
