Chief Yohana Margif, the Waziri Mushere of Bokkos Local Government Area, has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Plateau State following persistent killings and land-grabbing by armed groups.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Margif said the appeal was driven by the urgent need to halt what he described as “escalating attacks” in Mushere Chiefdom and other parts of the state.
He expressed disappointment in the state government and security agencies for failing to stem the violence, warning that the crisis had become “an existential threat” to his people.
> “Marauding gunmen now attack openly in broad daylight,” he said. “They have displaced residents, taken over ancestral lands, and turned our people into refugees elsewhere.”
Margif revealed that seven communities had been captured by the attackers, with dozens killed in recent days.
> “The savage killings and destruction of homes continue even today, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. No one knows what will happen next, especially tonight. The people cannot sleep and are helpless,” he lamented.
Calling for decisive federal action, Margif said:
“The primary duty of government is to protect lives and property. If it fails in that duty, it has no business being in existence. If a state of emergency could be declared in Rivers State over a mere political tussle, then Plateau’s current bloodshed warrants the same.”
