Following the midnight attack that led to the killing of at least 54 Christians in the village of Zikke in the Bassa local government area of Plateau state, the police authorities have swung into action to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Suspected Fulani extremists had on midnight of April 13, 2025, in an many has described as an act of genocide against the Christian community, invaded and destroyed the community.
Eyewitnesses said the attack lasted more than an hour, leaving 103 households destroyed and the entire village displaced.
Frustration mounted as residents reported a delayed military response and accused security forces of bias in disarming local Christian youth but not Fulani attackers.
Flowing from this development, the police has now asked the leadership of the local vigilance group to report to the State Police Command’s headquarters in Jos to explain their roles in the incident that has once again torn apart the fragile peace in the state.
The vigilance team lead, simply identified as Matthew was supported by 14 other combat team in the protection of the settlement before the invasion. Some of their names include one Edomwonyi Enoma Johnbull, Friday Giang, Dimku Smart and another, simply referred to as Paul.
A police statement issued in Jos said, the command wants to know from the vigilante men, how the attackers came into the community and who they suspected they were in order to assist the police in their investigations.
The police also want to know why the local vigilance group could not put up any resistance, but decided to surrender without a fight.
Meanwhile, victims of the attack have been given a mass burial in the community with mourners calling for justice for the dead.
Rev. Hezekiah Mukan who officiated the mass burial of 51 Christians on April 14, 2025 is also the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria. Mukan consoled the locals, calling on everyone to remember their hope in Christ as they mourned the dead.
Pastor Ishaku Mathew Kure, a local Baptist pastor, who reportedly lost 10 members of his congregation said he saw the attackers with some of them speaking both English and Fulani, using phrases like “Kill” and “Let’s go.”
The pastor called the violence a genocide and questioned government’s failure to disarm Fulani militias while the locals remain defenseless.
Amnesty International condemned the massacre, which left elderly people and children killed in their homes. “The inexcusable security lapses must be investigated,” Amnesty stated, adding that mere statements of condemnation are insufficient without justice and accountability.
The frequency and pattern of the attacks and selective disarmament against indigenous vigilante groups have led to growing fears of an orchestrated campaign to forcibly displace Christian communities and seize their ancestral lands.
Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang condemned the attacks as “coordinated acts of terror” aimed at ethnic cleansing.
He pledged full support for the victims, announcing free medical treatment for the wounded, deployment of more troops, and provision of emergency relief supplies.
Despite these measures, confidence in Nigeria’s ability to protect its Christian population continues to erode. As international organizations monitor the situation, urgent calls for justice, protection, and humanitarian aid are rising.