A prominent community leader in Plateau State, Chief Yohana Margif, has called on Governor Caleb Mutfwang and members of the National Assembly from the state to unite and take urgent action to end the escalating attacks by suspected herdsmen, particularly in the Mushere community of Bokkos Local Government Area.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, Margif, who is the Waziri Mushere of Mushere Chiefdom, decried the rising wave of violence that has left villages destroyed, residents displaced, and farmlands occupied by armed herders.
“These attacks have led to countless loss of lives, destruction of homes, and the displacement of our people, who have now lost access to their ancestral lands and livelihoods,” he said.
Margif appealed for coordinated intervention from the state government, federal authorities, security agencies, and the international community, warning that continued silence and inaction would only embolden the perpetrators.
He stressed that the timing of the attacks, amid the farming season and worsening weather conditions, has deepened the suffering of rural communities. Villages such as Kadim, Hokk, and Nawula, he said, have already been ravaged and sacked.
“Our people cannot perish in silence,” Margif declared. “We must take decisive and collective action to stop these brutal killings and restore peace.”
He accused authorities of lacking a proactive response and urged a shift from the “business-as-usual” approach, advocating a new security strategy to halt the violence and restore order.
Margif emphasized that political and security leaders must rise to the occasion, stating: “The continued killings and land grabbing are not a good testament to our leadership. The time to act is now.”
