A group of protesters in Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, on Friday, razed the home of the District Head of Bokkos, Monday Adanchin.
The protesters, all women, razed the building to demand the release of some youth arrested in connection with the killing of a Fulani man in Bokkos on Thursday, according to a resident whose name this newspaper has concealed for fear of attacks against him.
A PREMIUM TIMES reporter, accompanied by this person, was at the house on Thursday to interview the district head of Ruwi, Nicolas Random, one of the communities attacked on Christmas Eve.
"A Fulani was killed yesterday in New Layout, Bokkos. As a result, some youth in the area were arrested by soldiers and taken to Jos," the source told PREMIUM TIMES.
"These women want immediate release of the arrested youth as the youth were not the ones that committed the crime according to the women."
Mr Random, whom PREMIUM TIMES interviewed in the house on Thursday, said he was going to Bokkos to confirm the development. He promised to get back to the reporter. He has yet to do so as of the time of this report.
The source also shared pictures and videos of the razed palace with this newspaper.
Another source in Bokkos told PREMIUM TIMES that a Fulani from Hurki village was killed in Kasuwan Awaki on Thursday. This newspaper could not ascertain the name of the deceased. It was gathered that soldiers arrested eight persons in connection with the death.
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Also, on Wednesday, the Imam of the Dung community in Bokkos, Sani Idris, was killed and his brother Aliyu was shot. The brother, Aliyu, is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital in the community, the source said.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Bokkos, Agu Oliver, neither confirmed nor denied the development. This reporter had attempted to speak to him in his office on Thursday evening but he refused, directing the reporter to the spokesperson of the Plateau State Command of the Nigerian Police Force, Alfred Alabo.
"The person wey tell you, please call him and confirm please," he said in a phone interview on Friday. When the reporter called again, he said he was not in a good mood and ended the call.
Meanwhile, Mr Alabo, the Plateau police spokesperson, rejected calls from the reporter. He has not responded to the text and WhatsApp messages sent to his line.
Bokkos is one of three LGAs of Plateau State that suffered horrific attacks that left more than 100 people dead on Christmas Eve.
The attacks carried out almost simultaneously affected more than 19 communities across Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi LGAs.
PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that 16 people were killed in Kambarpeli, the village where the first attack occurred late on Saturday 23 December, before spreading to other communities.
This newspaper will publish a comprehensive report of the Christmas Eve attacks and the victims in the coming weeks.
