Armed assailants launched a brutal attack on Zike community (Kwall District, Bassa LGA) in the predawn hours of Monday, killing no fewer than 40 defenseless villagers in what appears to be a well-planned assault. This latest bloodshed continues Plateau State's relentless spiral of communal violence, with Kimakpa area becoming the newest flashpoint in the region's worsening security crisis.

In a well-coordinated dawn attack, armed assailants descended on the rural community, catching residents completely unaware as they slept. The sudden barrage of gunfire triggered mass panic, with villagers scrambling for safety only to be cut down in the chaotic violence.

Wakili Tongwe, a local leader, recounted to Channels Television that they were conducting routine patrols in a nearby village when the shooting erupted. And by the time they mobilized, the damage was done - people were already under siege in their own homes.

“Though our team engaged the attackers and repelled them, the damage had already been done.

“We lost thirty-six people on the spot, and four others later died from their injuries. Several others are currently receiving treatment for gunshot wounds,” Tongwe said.

Just 12 days after 52 villagers were slaughtered in Bokkos LGA, Plateau State has suffered another horrific attack - this time claiming 40 lives in Bassa LGA. The back-to-back massacres reveal an alarming escalation in the region's security crisis, with death tolls mounting while solutions remain elusive.

This is one too many - Plateau State government.

In a fiery official response, Plateau State authorities denounced Monday's village massacre that left 40 dead - the second such atrocity in under two weeks. Information Commissioner Joyce Ramnap voiced the administration's fury, labeling the attack “one too many,” and declaring the state's patience exhausted after repeated bloodshed.

“It is sad that in less than two weeks after our people were killed in Bokkos, we are faced with another horrific attack in Bassa.

“This is an attempt to puncture the peace that has gradually returned to the State,” Rampa added.

In the wake of the devastating attack, Commissioner Ramnap delivered a carefully balanced message - urging restraint while promising tough consequences for the perpetrators. The masses now await official statement from security agencies.