Plateau Leader Alleges Fulani Bandits’ Plot to Seize Chakfem Lands

A community leader in Plateau State has alleged that Fulani bandits are attempting to seize and occupy lands in Chakfem Chiefdom, Mangu Local Government Area, following a series of deadly attacks.

The Chakfem Youth Movement President, Da Simon Takbang, raised the alarm at a press conference in Jos on Friday, claiming that the assaults were not random but part of a deliberate effort to displace indigenous residents.

Takbang recounted that on Monday, over 1,000 armed bandits stormed multiple villages, including Manden, Tim, Mhidihin, Jibin, Jiblang, Koppang, and Jilem. Armed with heavy weapons, they allegedly attacked residents in their sleep, killing more than 15 people and forcing over 2,000 others to flee.

The assailants reportedly looted food stores, stole livestock, set homes and places of worship on fire, and destroyed properties worth millions of naira.

Victims of the attack included a four-month-old baby, Yilshwal Godwin, an 80-year-old grandmother, Na Rifkatu Katde, and several others named by the community leader.

According to Takbang, the attacks were carefully planned to render locals homeless and alter the demographic composition of Chakfem Chiefdom.

“These activities leave indelible scars in our hearts. They are designed to displace us from our ancestral lands,” he said.

The community leader acknowledged the government’s swift deployment of security forces, which helped halt the attacks, as well as the provision of relief materials to affected residents.

“This proves to us that we are not abandoned,” he noted.

Still, Takbang appealed for permanent deployment of security personnel in Chakfem, as the terrain makes emergency interventions difficult. He also urged the federal and state governments to improve road networks in the region to facilitate quicker responses to crises.

He further called on authorities to capture and prosecute those responsible, warning that failure to act would embolden attackers and worsen displacement.