By Palang Paul
Plateau State is once again plunged into grief and outrage following the brutal assassination of a traditional ruler, as gunmen suspected to be Fulani terrorists ambushed and killed the King of Gwande District on Tuesday evening, raising fresh alarms about the targeted killing of royal figures in Bokkos Local Government Area.
His Royal Highness Saf Samuel Alaket, the reigning King of Gwande District under Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State Nigerias Middle Belt, was killed by suspected Fulani assailants on the evening of Tuesday, June 16, 2026. He was a paramount traditional institution and a pillar of governance and cultural identity for the people of Gwande.
The monarch was fatally ambushed in a coordinated attack by Fulani gunmen shooting him endlessly with AK 47 riffle. The assault was swift, targeted, and deadly leaving a community leaderless, a people heartbroken, and a region demanding answers.
The attack occurred on the evening of Tuesday, June 16, 2026 — just hours after the King had participated in an official council meeting, making his murder all the more calculated and chilling.
Saf Samuel Alaket was ambushed along the Sha District axis bordering Daffo Town, in Bokkos Local Government Area, as he made his way home from the council meeting. The route, a well-known corridor, has now become a scene of mourning and a symbol of the deepening insecurity in the region.
No group has officially claimed responsibility at the time of filing this report. However, community sources point to a disturbing and recognizable pattern — the deliberate targeting of traditional rulers in Bokkos LGA, widely believed to be part of a broader campaign of terror and land-related aggression by Fulani elements against indigenous communities on the Plateau.
A PATTERN TOO PAINFUL TO IGNORE
This assassination is not an isolated incident. It mirrors with haunting precision the earlier murder of the Bokkos paramount ruler, the late Saf Ron Kulere Lazarus Agai, who was similarly ambushed on his way back from Sha District, near Hottom Magi. Both kings. Both returning from official duties. Both killed in ambushes along the same corridor.
For the people of Bokkos, this is not coincidence — it is a pattern. A deliberate, calculated erasure of leadership, identity, and authority from indigenous communities.
As of press time, no official statement had been released by the Plateau State Government, the Nigerian Police Force, or the Nigerian Army regarding the attack.
Community leaders and rights advocates are calling on Governor Caleb Mutfwang and federal security agencies to Launch an immediate and transparent investigation
Arrest and prosecute the perpetrators
Deploy adequate security along the Sha District corridor Protect remaining traditional rulers across Bokkos LGA.
Post Comment