Gunmen ambush and kill Plateau monarch during road attack

Gunmen believed to be members of a Fulani militia ambushed and killed Saf Samuel Alaket, the traditional ruler of Gwande District, on Wednesday. The attack occurred while Alaket was returning from a traditional council meeting at the district headquarters.

Eyewitnesses say the attackers opened fire on the monarch’s vehicle around 7:30 p.m. near the boundary between Sha District and the Daffo community, close to Alaket’s hometown.

Alaket suffered severe injuries and was taken to a nearby medical facility for emergency treatment, where he was later declared dead.

Peter Gwande, a community leader and former council member of the late District Head, confirmed the attack during a phone call. He said the murder of Saf Alaket is a painful loss for the Gwande community, Bokkos LGA, and Plateau State as a whole, and that the incident has plunged the Bokkos Traditional Council and residents into mourning.

Christopher Luka, a youth leader in Gwande, noted that the attack has caused serious tension in the area but added that security forces have since brought the situation under control.

Attempts to obtain confirmation from the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls or respond to text messages.