Key Points

• 40 people were killed in an attack on Zike community in Plateau.

• The violence follows a similar deadly assault in Plateau two weeks ago.

• Plateau has been struggling with ethnic violence for decades.

A midnight attack on Zike community in Plateau State resulted in the deaths of at least 40 people and left many others injured.

The incident occurred on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Bassa Local Government Area, which has been plagued by persistent violence.

Attackers shoot indiscriminately

The attack comes less than two weeks after terrorists killed at least 52 people in the same local government area.

Despite the Nigerian government’s repeated promises to end the violence in Plateau, security forces continue to struggle against the escalating attacks and reprisals in the region.

According to community leader Wakili Tongwe, the attackers stormed Zike community in the early hours of Monday.

The gunmen fired indiscriminately, killing 36 people on the spot. Four others who sustained severe injuries later died from their wounds, bringing the death toll to 40.

Tongwe reported that the victims were caught off guard as a team of vigilantes and security personnel were on patrol in another area when the attack occurred. Those injured in the assault have been rushed to a hospital for medical treatment.

Plateau: A long history of violence

Plateau has been a hotbed of ethnic violence since 1994, with the most deadly conflict occurring in the early 2000s between Christians and Muslims.

Over the years, the violence has escalated, fueled by competition over land and resources between farming and herding communities.

A timeline compiled by PREMIUM TIMES documents the deaths of nearly 5,000 people in the state due to ongoing clashes. The most recent violence, including the Mangu attack in 2023, highlights the ongoing conflict that continues to claim lives.