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A community advocacy group in Nigeria’s Plateau State has warned that armed groups may soon overrun the region unless urgent measures are taken to curb escalating violence. The Bokkos Cultural Development Forum (BCDF Vanguard) issued the alert following a surge in attacks across several districts, raising fears of territorial expansion by militants and exacerbating long-standing tensions over land and resources.

In a statement released after an emergency meeting in the city of Jos on Friday, BCDF leaders described a four-month wave of assaults targeting farming communities in Bokkos, Mangu, Riyom, and Bassa. These areas, known as agricultural hubs, have reported over 100 fatalities since April, alongside extensive destruction of crops and property. The group alleges that militants now operate with impunity, targeting civilians and security forces alike while displacing entire villages.

“The remaining residents of Bokkos are the last line of defense between these armed groups and the rest of Plateau State,” said Barr. Farmasum Fuddang and Amb. Duwam Bosco, the group’s chairman and secretary, in a joint declaration. They cited a recent spate of attacks in the Mushere district, where two people were killed and 15 injured in four days, with villages like Dimar and Hokk left deserted after homes and food stores were looted or razed.

Citing strategic concerns, the BCDF warned that the violence reflects a broader campaign to depopulate vulnerable regions. Terrorist factions displaced by military operations in Nigeria’s northwest and northeast, they argued, are exploiting local instability to establish new strongholds. Crops covering thousands of acres—including corn and potatoes nearing harvest—have been systematically destroyed, deepening food insecurity and economic losses.

The statement also referenced historical grievances, noting that towns like Lukfai were similarly emptied in 2015, with displaced Berom, Mwagavul, and Ron communities unable to reclaim properties now occupied by others. Critics accuse authorities of neglecting these patterns of land appropriation, while civilian vigilantes attempting to resist incursions reportedly face overwhelming force from both militants and security personnel.

With over ten villages fully abandoned and key routes increasingly controlled by armed groups, the BCDF urged Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang to enforce land-use policies and establish a civilian-military task force. Such measures, they argued, could mirror counterinsurgency strategies deployed elsewhere in Nigeria to bolster community-led security efforts.

The escalating crisis threatens to further destabilize a region already scarred by ethnoreligious clashes and competition over resources. As farming communities flee, analysts warn the vacuum could enable armed factions to consolidate control, risking wider humanitarian and security repercussions across Central Nigeria.