Da Yohana Margif, a prominent community leader from Bokkos Local Government Area in Plateau State, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a State of Emergency in the state following continuous deadly attacks allegedly carried out by Fulani militia groups.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, MargifMargif, who holds the traditional title of Waziri Mushere said the worsening violence and bloodshed had reached a critical level.
He described the situation as an existential threat to indigenous communities in Bokkos, who he said are being killed, displaced, and having their lands forcefully taken over.
“This call has become necessary due to the repeated and coordinated attacks by Fulani marauders who have laid siege to our communities,” Margif said.
“They kill the natives, sack them from their homes, and take over their ancestral lands.”
Margif, a former Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 Plateau elections, warned that without urgent federal intervention, entire communities could be wiped out.
“With the way these Fulani militias are unleashing violence on Bokkos, it’s only a matter of time before we are all exterminated,” he said.
He emphasized that declaring a State of Emergency is the only viable path to halting what he described as a campaign of terror and land-grabbing.
According to Margif, seven villages in Bokkos have already been overtaken by the armed groups.
“The savage killings and destruction of homes continue even as of today, Tuesday, August 5th, 2025,” he noted.
“Seven communities have been captured, and many lives have been lost. No one knows what will happen next. The people cannot sleep and are helpless.”
He painted a grim picture of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
“Innocent villagers have been slaughtered, their homes burnt, and their ancestral lands forcefully taken over,” he said.
“Displaced families now roam as refugees in their fatherland.”
Margif concluded his plea by urging the president to act swiftly.
“I call on President Bola Tinubu to declare a State of Emergency in Plateau State before we are all gone. The primary duty of any government is to protect lives and property. If it fails to do that, then it has no business being in existence,” he said.
