Residents of Bokkos town, in Central Nigeria’s Plateau State have raised alarm over rising cases of rape, indiscriminate grazing and intimidation by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

Over the past three months, indiscriminate grazing in residential areas has particularly been on the increase with no visible security intervention, a community leader in Bokkos, Ayuba Mangai said.

Efforts have been made by various groups and individuals to curtail the excesses of the herders but there has been very little success, a member of the Run Muruwi Vanguard, a native interest group who chooses to be anonymous however said
Corroborating this position, a former President of the youths in Bokkos, Samuel Agandu said “often times when the herders are cautioned, they pull out arms to fight.”

The situation is not new as there have been several reports of such excesses but none has been tangible, said the Secretary of the Bokkos Progressive Youth Forum, Mabur Tokshik.
“We only hear them as rumours and no one has officially reported such,” he said.

Police authorities have equally denied receiving official reports of such just as a Fulani leader, Ardo Shagari Abdullahi has said there has never been a complaint against the Fulani as such.

The Bokkos Divisional Police headquarters has however confirmed the killing of a young man by suspected Fulani last week Sunday near Government Secondary School Kopyal.

Popularly known as Olu, the young man in his early 30s from Njong village in the locality was reportedly shot to death when he took
The murder followed an alleged raping of an 18 year old girl by two suspected Fulani herdsmen in a farm near Bokkos town.
Police could not however confirm the rape incident when contacted.

The Secretary of the Bokkos Progressive Youth Movement however said there were several unofficial reports of rape in Bokkos but could not attribute them to any group or individual.

He disclosed that findings from his office reveal that on the latest incident, there was no penetration as the victim was immediately rescued after she screamed while struggling with the culprits, alerting nearby farmers.
He however called on securities to be more proactive in dealing with security threats in the area.

The ex President of the Bokkos youths, Mr. Agandu however joined Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma to call for self-defense among communities.

“Even the securities these days are hands-tight and can hardly function as expected due to superior interests,” he said.

Bokkos LGA has been in the news of late following series of attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen that have led to the sacking of nine villages.

Over 30 people are said to have been killed and 7000 others displaced from over 1000 homes in the attacks that started in January this year.

Credit: Masara Kim Usman

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Bokkos Residents Decries Indiscriminate Grazing, Rape by Suspected Herdsmen