In a disturbing turn of events on Friday, protesters set ablaze the palace of the District Head of Bokkos Saf Adanchin during demonstrations decrying what they deemed as unjust arrests in the area following recent killings in the Plateau community.
Expressing their discontent over the arrest of community members in connection to the assaults, the demonstrators, predominantly comprised of youths and women, escalated their agitation by targeting the Joint Security Task Force Operation Safe Haven base and the Divisional Police Office in the Bokkos Local Government Area community.
Tensions reached a violent climax when the protesters overpowered security personnel and set fire to the district head’s palace, along with vehicles parked within the premises. As of the time of reporting, the police authorities in the state have refrained from commenting on the matter, although they had earlier confirmed the arrest of eight individuals in connection with the Christmas Eve attacks in the region.
The Bokkos Progressive Youths, meanwhile, have accused security operatives of bias since the Christmas Eve attacks, stating, “It is with pain in our hearts that we write to address you concerning the continuous violation of human rights by the military sent to foil the attacks.” The group’s president, Luka Tulladem, highlighted the alleged brutality and arbitrary arrests of victims who managed to escape the attacks.
The protest follows a series of attacks on communities in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of the North-Central State, claiming over 200 lives and resulting in the destruction of numerous houses and farmlands. The Christmas Eve assault prompted condemnation both locally and globally, with President Bola Tinubu ordering a probe into the incidents and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang urging united efforts to apprehend those responsible.
Vice President Kashim Shettima visited the affected area, appealing to residents not to succumb to sectional divisions during the pursuit of justice. Pope Francis also expressed solidarity, calling for prayers for the victims of the violence.
In response to the recent attacks, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan-Kukah, labeled the perpetrators as “sons of Satan” and emphasized that the killings on the Plateau extend beyond herder-farmer clashes. He urged the government to resist the agenda of the assailants and protect Nigerian citizens, asserting that there is a method to the madness and a hidden agenda that connects the dots through the history of the modern Nigerian state.
