Plateau Killings: ‘Soldiers Guided Cows While We Were Being Killed’ — Survivor Alleges Military Negligence in Mbwelle Attack
Fresh controversy has erupted following the recent killings in Plateau State, as a survivor of the April 9 attack in Mbwelle village has alleged that security operatives abandoned residents during the deadly invasion.
The survivor, who lost eight members of her family, told PulseNets that soldiers deployed within the vicinity failed to respond to repeated distress calls while the assault reportedly lasted for hours.
The incident, PulseNets learnt, occurred in Mbwelle village in Kwatas district of Bokkos Local Government Area, where suspected Fulani militia allegedly stormed the community under the cover of darkness, opening fire on residents and triggering chaos. Several homes were also destroyed during the attack, leaving many families displaced.
According to the grieving woman, help never arrived despite multiple attempts to reach nearby troops. She told PulseNets that residents had expected swift intervention from soldiers under the Operation Ensuring Peace task force due to their close proximity to the affected community.
“When the Fulani killers came to our village that night and started shooting at the people, our youths and elders called the soldiers who were stationed less than three kilometers away.
“We pleaded with them to come to our aid but they refused to come,” she said.
The survivor further told PulseNets that the attack persisted for more than two hours without any form of military response, alleging that the assailants moved from house to house, killing residents and destroying property as villagers struggled to flee or hide.
“The Fulani killers were shouting “Allah Akbar” and shooting at our people for more than two hours but the soldiers did not come. They came into our house and killed eight of my family members including my brother’s wife who was pregnant.
“How wicked could they be? They killed my father, my brothers, and my young nephews. What did these people do to them to deserve such a death?”
She further told PulseNets that over 20 people were killed during the attack, leaving the community in deep mourning and widespread fear. Survivors, PulseNets gathered, have since fled to nearby villages, uncertain about their safety and possible return.
The woman also alleged that after the attackers retreated, residents made troubling discoveries. According to her account obtained by PulseNets, the assailants withdrew to a nearby settlement known as Korong, a community previously taken over following earlier displacements.
“In the end, we lost over 20 people. When the Fulani killers left, we discovered that they ran to Korong, one of the villages that they had earlier chased the people away from and forcibly occupied.
“As if that was not enough, we later realized that the soldiers had stationed their gun truck in front of Korong thereby providing security for the Fulani people while leaving innocent people open to attack,” the woman lamented.
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Her allegations, PulseNets reported, have triggered outrage among residents and observers, with growing concerns over the conduct of security personnel in the region. Community leaders who spoke to PulseNets have called for an independent investigation, insisting that any form of negligence must be thoroughly probed and addressed.
Efforts to obtain an official response from military authorities were ongoing at the time of filing this report. However, security agencies have consistently maintained their commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Plateau State.
