The mining community in central Nigeria has been subjected to a distressing assault by armed gunmen on motorbikes, leaving residents in a state of shock. Reports indicate that the assailants are responsible for the deaths of up to 40 individuals and the destruction of numerous homes in the area. This tragic event represents the most recent in a series of violent clashes that have plagued the region, driven by longstanding disputes over resources and intercommunal tensions.
The appalling attack occurred on Monday evening in the Wase district, located in Plateau state. Musa Ibrahim Ashoms, the state’s commissioner for information, confirmed that the armed assailants carried out a brutal assault on the Zurak community, indiscriminately firing weapons and setting buildings ablaze. Ashoms initially estimated the death toll to be around 40, but as the situation remained unclear, he later revised the number to nine confirmed fatalities, with additional individuals sustaining gunshot wounds and going missing.
Eyewitnesses and local leaders, however, have claimed that the death toll is much higher, with estimates ranging back up to 40 people killed in the merciless attack. Adamu Saluwe, a resident of the area, recounted the harrowing events, describing how the assailants descended upon the village and unleashed violence upon the unsuspecting villagers, resulting in a tragic loss of life.
The Wase district is known for its rich zinc and lead deposits, contributing to the historical disputes over resources in the region. Plateau state, as a whole, is renowned for its tin mining industry, further exacerbating tensions between different groups. These disputes are often fueled by a combination of factors, including the divide between the predominantly Muslim north and the mostly Christian south of Nigeria, as well as conflicts between nomadic herders and farming communities. Climate change has also played a role in escalating tensions, intensifying competition for grazing land and water access.
In addition to resource-related disputes, the region has also been plagued by criminal gangs who carry out raids on villages, engage in looting, and orchestrate mass kidnappings for ransom. The devastating consequences of such violence were tragically highlighted in December, when nearly 200 people lost their lives in clashes in Plateau’s Bokkos and Barkin Ladi districts. More recently, intercommunal clashes erupted in Mangu town, resulting in multiple deaths and the displacement of thousands of individuals.
The recurring outbreaks of violence in central Nigeria continue to devastate communities and exacerbate existing tensions, underscoring the urgent need for measures to address the root causes of these conflicts and ensure the safety and security of the region’s inhabitants.