JOS / BOKKOS — Fresh panic has gripped rural communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State after suspected gunmen ambushed and killed three miners returning from an active mining site on Thursday evening.
The incident occurred around 7:15 p.m. along the GSS Daffo Road axis in Daffo District, marking another tragic escalation in targeted attacks against local artisanal workers in the state.
How the Incident Occurred
According to local sources and community representatives, the victims were ambushed while traveling home from a mining site at Fubok:
- Sudden Gunfire: Armed men emerged along the GSS Daffo Road and opened fire directly on the miners without provocation, killing all three on the spot.
- Victims Identified: Local sources identified the deceased as Maren Agom (45), a native of Tadai Village in Manguna District, who sustained a gunshot wound to the head; Joe Buba (38), a native of Josho Village in Daffo District, who was shot in the chest; and a third miner locally known as Yellow.
- Evacuation of Bodies: The bodies of the three victims were subsequently recovered and deposited at the Alheri Medical Centre mortuary in Daffo.
Incident Summary
LOCATION: GSS Daffo Road (returning from Fubok site), Bokkos LGA, Plateau State
CASUALTY TOLL: 3 Confirmed Dead (Maren Agom, Joe Buba, 'Yellow')
TIME OF ATTACK: 7:15 p.m.
ATTACK PATTERN: Roadside ambush on returning miners
CURRENT STATUS: Bodies deposited at Alheri Medical Centre; security reinforced along corridor
Community Reactions and Security Response
Community leader Peter Maju confirmed that security agencies were promptly notified of the assault and have deployed tactical units to track down the fleeing assailants and prevent further retaliatory violence in the surrounding villages.
Residents of Bokkos LGA have reiterated calls to the military high command (Operation Safe Haven) and the Plateau State Police Command to intensify patrols along rural transit corridors used by artisanal miners and agrarian workers.
