SOURCED FROM CURRENT NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 23/06/2026 UNTIL 0600 24/06/2026
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Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine.
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Prices of fuel products in the Philippines are rolling back Tuesday, June 23 following the announcement of the United States and Iran last week that they have signed an initial peace agreement.
The Department of Energy’s weekly price advisory announced the following price adjustments on June 22:
Diesel: Down by P9.04 to P11.04 per liter
Kerosene: Down by P9.82 to P11.82 per liter
Gasoline: Down by P3.90 to P5.90 per liter
With adjustments applied to common prices last week, here are the new estimated prices of different oil and fuel products starting June 23: The big-time rollback proceeded despite the shutting of the Strait of Hormuz. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin warned the public on Monday that fuel retailers are not allowed to cite the disruption for any unauthorized price increase.
Its effects are instead more likely to be reflected on the following week’s price adjustments, Garin said.
The Abra Solid North Weavers leaned on DJ Fenner to turn back the Quezon Huskers, 82-77, on Monday and extend their hot streak in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
The 6-foot-6 Fenner delivered 31 points – marked by five triples – seven rebounds and five assists to power the defending champion Weavers past their National Finals victims and move up in the race for playoff spots of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
With its ninth straight win, Abra climbed to 11-1, supplanting its conqueror San Juan (10-1) and inching closer to Caloocan (13-1) in the North division.
Quezon suffered its first loss after nine wins, but kept top spot in the South division.
Fenner, a former University of Nevada Las Vegas star, poured in 16 points as Abra took the first quarter, 29-25, and made two charities that decided the outcome, 82-75, with 37.4 seconds left, earning Best Player honors.
Dave Ildefonso, returning from an injury, contributed 15 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals, followed by Drex Delos Reyes with nine points and five rebounds; and Mike Ayonayon and Raven Gonzales with six points each.
Quezon was ahead, 57-56, until Ferrer dropped five points in a closing 7-2 run that shoved Abra ahead, 70-65, after three quarters.
The gap could have been bigger had the Weavers shot better from the charity line, making only 13-of-29 attempts for a dismal 44.8%.
In a very rare occurrence, the Weavers fared better from long distance, sinking 11-of-24 triples for 45.8%.
A couple of free throws by Will McAloney and back-to-back follow-ups by Cedric Manansala enabled Quezon to threaten, 75-78, only for Gonzales to score inside and Fenner to seal the outcome.
Quezon drew 16 points, 10 rebounds and four assists from Cedric Manzano; 16 points, four rebounds and three assists from Judel Fuentes; and 11 points, four assists and three rebounds from Cyrus Tabi.
Pasay routs Bacolod
The Pasay Voyagers routed the Bacolod Masskaras, 100-78, in the second game and climbed to 8-6.
Christian Fajarito posted 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists; Mark Parks 12 points and two rebounds; and Rence Alcoriza 10 points and three assists in Pasay’s coast-to-coast victory.
Bacolod skidded to 3-13 despite Marjun Wahing’s 17 points, Rafael Go’s 15 and Desmond Pryce’s 14.
Basilan subdues Imus
Basilan Steel subdued Imus Yangkee, 98-88, in the opener to level its slate at 7-7.
A resurgent John Wilson paced Basilan with 24 points, spiked by four triples, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, followed by Ralph Robin with 14 points, two rebounds and two assists; and Joshua Marcos with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Former San Beda point guard Kenneth Mocon was chosen the Best Player with eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists, while Jervy Cruz presided over Basilan’s dominance underneath, 63-42, with 12 rebounds and five points.
Imus, which tumbled to 2-12, drew 18 points and nine rebounds from Joseph Mark Marquez; 16 points, six assists and three rebounds from Janjan Salazar; 15 points and eight rebounds from Jordan Rios; and 10 points and three rebounds from Noel Santos.
The tournament returns to the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna, on Tuesday, featuring games between Caloocan and Manila at 4 p.m.; Bulacan and Cebu at 6 p.m.; and Paranaque and Ilagan Isabela at 8 p.m.
Teachers are being tapped to help address one of the Philippines’ most persistent but largely preventable health threats: cervical cancer.
The Department of Education and Jhpiego, a global health nonprofit affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, have launched a new resource booklet to equip teachers and education support personnel with evidence-based information on human papillomavirus vaccination and cervical cancer prevention.
The initiative recognizes schools and educators as key partners in efforts to improve vaccine uptake nationwide as thousands of Filipino women continue to be diagnosed with and die from cervical cancer each year, despite growing awareness among families about the importance of HPV vaccination. During a hybrid orientation and consultation in Pasig City, representatives from various DepEd central office bureaus, all 18 regional offices, and the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were introduced to the new educational material titled ‘Guro Laban sa Cervical Cancer.’
The resource was developed by DepEd’s Bureau of Learner Support Services-School Health Division in partnership with Jhpiego Philippines and with support from the HPV Vaccination Acceleration Program Partners Initiative Consortium.
The HAPPI Consortium supports efforts to increase awareness, demand and access to HPV vaccination through partnerships with government agencies, health professionals, educators and communities as part of broader efforts to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem.
DepEd said the booklet will eventually be made available as a self-paced online supplementary learning material for teachers and education support personnel across the country.
The resource covers the full spectrum of cervical cancer prevention, from HPV vaccination to screening and treatment options for early disease.
It also includes information about available screening methods, including visual inspection with acetic acid, Pap smear testing and HPV DNA testing.
Officials said the goal is to enable teachers to confidently answer questions from parents and learners while promoting accurate health information in schools.
‘Teachers and education support personnel play a critical role in supporting parents and learners with accurate health information. Aside from health workers, they are among the most accessible and trusted sources of information for parents seeking guidance on HPV vaccination,’ said Razzel Requesto, director IV at the Bureau of Learner Support Services.
Building on schools’ existing role
The initiative builds on an existing partnership between the health and education sectors.
The annual School-Based Immunization Program, jointly implemented by the Department of Health and DepEd, has been running since 2017.
‘Prior to the implementation of SBI activities, Parent-Teacher Association meetings are held to provide parents and guardians with relevant information regarding the program. These efforts complement the health education and promotion initiatives of the DOH and local government units, helping ensure the successful conduct of immunization activities in schools,’ Jhpiego Philippines said in a statement.
The global health nonprofit said the activities complement broader health education and promotion efforts carried out by the DOH and local government units to ensure the successful conduct of immunization activities in schools.
The new resource seeks to strengthen those efforts by standardizing the information teachers share with families and ensuring it is grounded in scientific evidence.
‘This resource reflects the strength of collaboration between the education and health sectors. Together, we are helping ensure that teachers have the knowledge and tools to promote accurate information on HPV vaccination and protect the health of future generations,’ Requesto said.
The booklet was developed with technical recommendations from several DepEd offices, including the Bureau of Curriculum Development, Bureau of Learning Delivery, Bureau of Learning Resources, Public Affairs Service, and the Employees Welfare Division under the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development.
The DOH’s Health Promotion Bureau also provided guidance throughout the process.
For Dr. Lilibeth Gonzales, officer-in-charge chief of the DepEd School Health Division, the resource provides educators with a practical tool they can immediately use.
‘The Guro Laban sa Cervical Cancer resource booklet gives teachers a practical reference for addressing questions on HPV vaccination and supporting health-promoting practices in schools,’ Gonzales said.
Jhpiego Philippines said strengthening teachers’ capacity to communicate accurate information is an important component of broader efforts to prevent cervical cancer and support informed health decisions among families.
‘Cervical cancer is largely preventable, and increasing awareness about HPV vaccination is essential to protecting future generations. Through this partnership, we are helping ensure that teachers have the knowledge and tools to support informed decision-making among parents and learners,’ said Dr. Ingrid Magnata, country program manager of Jhpiego Philippines.
A preventable cancer that continues to claim lives
The launch comes against the backdrop of a persistent cervical cancer burden in the Philippines. Although cervical cancer is largely preventable, thousands of Filipino women continue to be diagnosed with and die from the disease every year.
Official nationwide health data previously cited by health experts showed that around 7,897 Filipino women are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, while about 4,052 die from it every year.
The disease remains the second most common cancer among women in the country and among women ages 15 to 44.
More recent estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer indicate that approximately 8,549 new cervical cancer cases and around 4,380 deaths occurred in the Philippines in 2023 alone.
Without stronger prevention efforts, projections suggest that as many as 446,020 Filipino women could die from cervical cancer between 2020 and 2070.
Health experts have long emphasized that many of these cases can be prevented through HPV vaccination and regular screening.
Cervical cancer primarily develops from persistent infection with certain types of HPV, a common virus transmitted through sexual contact. Because the infection is preventable, global health authorities consider cervical cancer among the most preventable forms of cancer.
The World Health Organization recommends HPV vaccination primarily for girls ages 9 to 14, before they are exposed to the virus.
Screening also remains a key line of defense. WHO guidelines recommend screening beginning at age 30 for women in the general population, or earlier for sexually active women, using HPV tests that can detect infections earlier and more accurately than traditional cytology tests.
Globally, WHO has adopted its ’90-70-90′ strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem.
The targets call for vaccinating 90 percent of girls by age 15, screening 70 percent of women by ages 35 and 45, and ensuring that 90 percent of women with cervical disease receive treatment and care.
Modeling studies suggest that if the Philippines successfully achieves these targets, cervical cancer could be eliminated as a public health problem by around 2062, potentially saving more than 970,000 lives by the end of the century.
Awareness is high, but barriers remain
The new teacher resource also arrives shortly after a study found that vaccine hesitancy may not be the country’s biggest challenge. Instead, experts say the problem often lies in missed opportunities.
Findings presented during a national dissemination forum organized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Jhpiego showed that many Filipino families already recognize the importance of HPV vaccination.
However, practical barriers continue to prevent eligible girls from receiving the vaccine.
Researchers examined the behavioral and social drivers influencing HPV vaccination decisions in the Philippines through surveys and interviews involving parents, teachers, adolescent girls and community health workers.
Data gathering was led by the De La Salle University-Social Development Research Center in local government units across Ilocos Norte, Abra, Cagayan Valley and Metro Manila.
The study found that awareness and motivation to vaccinate were generally high, but actual vaccination coverage continued to lag.
‘The study revealed critical behavioral and social factors influencing HPV vaccination decisions. While awareness and motivation were high, gaps in vaccine uptake persisted due to practical barriers such as parent availability, stock-outs, absenteeism, and occasional service-quality challenges,’ said Dr. Zaldy Collado, project lead of the Behavioral and Social Drivers Tool at the De La Salle University-Social Development Research Center.
‘These insights will guide more targeted, evidence-informed strategies to improve vaccination coverage,’ he added.
Among the most common barriers identified were parents being unavailable during vaccination schedules, vaccine supply shortages and students being absent on vaccination days.
The findings also highlighted the importance of schools as vaccination platforms.
Beyond serving as immunization sites, schools also function as venues for health education and communication.
Researchers found that mothers are often the primary decision-makers regarding vaccination, although discussions with other family members can still influence final decisions.
‘Understanding behavioral and social drivers of vaccination allows programs to design more responsive and effective immunization strategies. The Philippines’ leadership in field-testing the BeSD Tool contributes valuable evidence to global immunization efforts,’ said Dr. Chung-Won Lee, immunization program director of the CDC Philippines Country Office. /dm
One of the suspects in the Tacloban City school shooting has a grandfather who is a former security guard of an agency where one of the guns used in the attack was registered to, the Police Regional Office Eastern Visayas (PRO-8) said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) previously said it traced the .9mm pistol used by a 14-year-old suspect in the shooting to his aunt’s who is a PRO-8 personnel; and a .38 caliber revolver used by a 15-year-old suspect to a Cebu-based security agency.
‘The 15-year-old suspect’s grandfather is a former security guard at that agency,’ PRO-8 Director Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy told reporters in a phone interview with reporters on Tuesday. ‘Based on records, the suspect only fired the revolver once. We recovered the gun with five intact rounds of ammunition inside. He only fired one shot,’ he added.
The two suspects opened fire inside the San Jose National High School premises on Monday morning, killing at least three students and wounding several others.
At least 40 empty shells were recovered from the crime scene, all from the .9mm pistol used by the 14-year-old suspect, according to Capoy.
‘So far, we’re waiting on the results of the Soco to trace from which gun caliber were the bullets that hit the victims. For now, we presume they allegedly came from the 9mm,’ the PRO 8 director said. /gsg
Dangote Petroleum Refinery imported approximately 1.46 billion litres of gasoline blendstock and other intermediate feedstocks between January and May 2026 to boost its petrol production, according to data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The NMDPRA’s Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Statistics for May 2026 revealed that the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery has continued to rely on imported intermediates despite access to both domestic and imported crude oil supplies.
Monthly imports stood at 658.31 million litres in January, 306.89 million litres in February, 102.35 million litres in March, 147.37 million litres in April, and 240.59 million litres in May. The May figure represented a 63.3 per cent jump from April, signalling increased feedstock purchases as refining activities intensified.
Gasoline blendstock comprises unfinished petroleum products such as reformate, alkylate, and naphtha, which are blended with other refinery streams and additives to produce finished Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol. These intermediates help improve fuel quality, increase output volumes, and meet environmental specifications. They are not sold directly to consumers.
The refinery demonstrated strong operational performance in May, recording an average capacity utilisation rate of 101.25 per cent-exceeding its nameplate capacity. It produced an average of 44.7 million litres of PMS daily, supplying 41.5 million litres to the domestic market while holding closing stocks of 9.4 million litres.
In the same period, daily diesel production averaged 24.5 million litres, with 18.2 million litres supplied locally and 6.5 million litres exported. Aviation fuel output stood at 21.9 million litres per day, including 2.8 million litres for domestic use and 17.5 million litres exported.
The refinery processed 17.92 million barrels of crude oil in May – 15.84 million barrels from domestic sources and 2.08 million barrels imported. This fell short of the estimated 20.15 million barrels required for full-capacity operations over 31 days. Officials noted that imported blendstocks played a key role in sustaining output above nameplate levels.
While dependence on imported blendstocks eased in February and March amid improved crude supplies, imports rose again in April and May alongside peak production periods.
Nigeria’s state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna remained shut down as of May 2026, positioning Dangote Refinery as the country’s primary operational refining facility and largest supplier of locally refined petroleum products.
Professor of Energy at the University of Lagos, Dayo Ayoade, described the importation of gasoline blendstocks as a standard global refining practice. ‘It enables refineries to optimise operations, improve fuel quality, and maintain production flexibility, especially during periods of unstable crude supply,’ he said.
However, Ayoade cautioned on the economic implications. ‘Importing feedstock means foreign exchange is leaving the country and exposes the refinery to international market risks.’ He clarified that blendstocks are intermediate products, not finished petrol, and urged against misconceptions on the refinery’s operations.
The Federal Government has directed regulatory and security agencies to clamp down on the diversion, hoarding and illegal storage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as part of measures to stabilise prices and ensure adequate supply across the country.
Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, gave the directive on Monday in Abuja during an emergency stakeholder engagement convened to develop coordinated solutions to the recent increase in cooking gas prices.
Describing the rising cost of LPG as a matter of national concern with significant implications for households, small businesses and economic stability, Ekpo said the Federal Government remained committed to easing the burden on Nigerians.
He directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to strengthen market oversight, develop a robust pricing framework to guide the market, and sanction operators engaged in practices that distort the market.
Ekpo also urged the NMDPRA to collaborate with the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Police Force to support enforcement efforts, eliminate artificial scarcity and ensure the uninterrupted movement of LPG across the country.
‘We have directed the NMDPRA to intensify monitoring, engage operators and work with security agencies to discourage hoarding, eliminate artificial scarcity, and strengthen transparency in distribution and pricing,’ he said.
On supply, Ekpo said marketers had indicated their readiness to increase imports, while anticipated deliveries from new domestic facilities, including the Seplat gas facility, were expected to boost supply in the coming weeks.
The government is also exploring a local blending initiative involving Nigeria LNG Limited, domestic producers and depot owners, aimed at improving supply, reducing dependence on imports and supporting greater price stability.
‘There is no cause for panic. The government remains committed to ensuring adequate domestic gas supply and to advancing the Decade of Gas Initiative as a pathway to cleaner cooking, industrial growth and energy security,’ he said.
Recall that prices of cooking gas have soared above the rooftop in the last four weeks, with marketers selling one kilogram between N1800 and N2000, depending on location.
This has resulted in lamentations among Nigerian families with many switching to firewoods and charcoal as alternative fuels.
Speaking, Authority Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Mr. Rabiu Umar, who also addressed the meeting, said the authority had commenced an enforcement campaign targeting pricing and supply-chain practices, warning that operators responsible for excessive price increases would face stiff sanctions.
‘We are going to be much more aggressive in ensuring that no factor is allowed to keep prices at excessively high levels. We expect to see a significant improvement in supply and a reduction in prices before the end of next month,’ Umar said.
The engagement was attended by senior representatives of key gas suppliers, marketers, distributors and consumer groups, including the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) and the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), among others.
The roll call, per ‘The Punch’ newspaper, at the just-concluded ‘Invest in Lagos 3.0′ Summit’, was impressive: the federal and six state governments, global institutions, innovators, development finance bodies, sovereign wealth funds, finance specialists, multilateral institutions and a trade network across the Commonwealth countries.
The quantum and spread were no surprise. Lagos is an economic hub of national example – the way its policies segue with the booming needs of its estimated 25 million population – as its trade summits are an excellent mart for others to showcase their potentials; and pitch for putative investors.
That the Federal Government and six state governments were at the mart, seeking investors to partner in their areas of core opportunities, is also bowing to the not-so-new truism: the era of the government providing jobs is over. This epoch belongs to the government creating policies to make the private sector thrive.
Host Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, addressing the parley, gave his state’s own investor preference: basically infrastructure spanning rail and water transport, aside from energy; then, agriculture and agro-processing.
With the construction of the Green Rail (Marina-Victoria Island-Lekki) just starting, and the many other lines in the Lagos Urban Rail still pending, private capital will do rather nicely. Water transport is another niche, in the state’s multi-modal transport policy, which investors can milk.
Still, a yawning surprise: the governor was silent on waste-driven investments. Post-1999 Lagos got rid of the many mountains of filth that plagued the city. But that system currently frays at the edges – if not completely ruptured – with the ugly and smelly diffusion of wastes in the Lagos public space: road medians, expressway drainage and open spaces near markets!
To avert an epidemic by waste, which might cripple its booming market, Lagos needs urgent and expanded investment in waste disposal and management. It’s a cross-sectoral imperative that should come under public health and citizen wellness. If not, these wastes might just blight Lagos and its huge market.
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, pitched his state’s new-found capacity to deliver 24-hour electricity, in some areas in Abia, to sell its market clusters to willing investors. Imo State’s Hope Uzodinma spoke of a putative industrial revolution powered by new, lithe but robust infrastructure.
Nasarawa’s Abdullahi Sule’s pull was the proximity of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as a magnet for investors to consummate his state’s mechanised farmlands, crops and livestock, leveraging its vast land resources. The Federal Government too, thirsting for capital for many of its programmes, which the routine yearly budget cycle cannot adequately feed, flaunted the business-friendliness of its new, far-reaching tax reforms.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, re-pledged the central government’s commitment to creating a conducive business environment all-round.
But all of these points only underscore the very basics: business summits won’t amount to much, if the responding investors don’t enjoy robust business-friendly policies. In competitiveness, the cost and availability of power are critical. So, Governor Otti, pitching regular and predictable power supply, was spot on.
In Lagos too, sanity on the electricity supply and demand front has forced the ongoing liberalisation of competing distribution companies (DisCos) and generation companies (GenCos), aside from the flagship twins of Ikeja Electric and Eko DisCo. It is also behind the push, by the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC), for aggressive customer metering, within the Lagos electricity market.
How these new electricity reforms work out, in the next three years, will determine the success – or otherwise – of Lagos 3.0 Summit. Of course, another leg (no less critical) is a better security horizon nationwide.
There has been an understandable nationwide expression of outrage at the death, in the hands of his kidnappers, of retired Major-General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information and spokesman of the Nigerian military. General Abubakar was abducted with his wife, Hajia Amina, on May 30, while they were travelling to attend a wedding in Katsina State.
He died in captivity on June 13, while, ironically, his wife was rescued in an operation by security operatives, barely days after the body of her husband was received by the Katsina State government.
Another death of a high-ranking Nigerian military officer at the hands of terrorists is justifiable cause for the anger that has been voiced across the country. While General Abubakar is retired, a number of other top officers had been killed in the heat of the ongoing protracted war against insurgents, particularly in the Northeast and Northwest theatres of battle.
These high profile military deaths naturally affect morale and breed despondency among the rank and file of the military personnel at the battlefronts, and also engender resentment and dismay on the part of both serving and retired senior military officers.
Furthermore, the sense of helplessness among civilians increases manifold when highly trained senior military personnel appear so easily vulnerable to rampaging terrorists, kidnappers and bandits.
The sense of outrage is further inflamed by the fact, for instance, that the school children and teachers abducted by terrorists from three schools in a community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are still in captivity over a month after their seizure, with the kidnappers reportedly making outlandish demands in exchange for their release.
The sense of collective helplessness leading to alienation between the government and citizens is exactly the motive of the kidnappers and their sponsors.
There are other sources of national unease and distress specific to the death of General Abubakar. One is the seeming ease and speed with which his body was released by his captors after over two weeks of his kidnap and unsuccessful efforts to secure his release.
Again, is the still cloudy circumstance in which his body was released to the Katsina State government by the kidnappers. Had there been intermediaries between the state government and the abductors all along, and, if so, why couldn’t his release have been achieved before his demise?
The claim of the Katsina State government that he died of complications from diabetes and hypertension, which the government strangely described as ‘natural’ causes, has also been baffling. For one, it is unlikely that any autopsy was carried out on the body before such a conclusion was reached. Beyond that, his son has indicated that his father had no such medical history and that he most likely died of snake bite poison.
In any case, it is unlikely that he had access to decent medical care in captivity. The state government could most certainly have been tidier and more diligent in handling the sensitive issue.
While the rescue of the General’s wife is welcome, it also raises the issue as regards whether such a salvage effort could not have been mounted before his demise. Even then, though anger at the escalating scale of kidnapping is understandable, as a people, we must go beyond outrage, which is ultimately unproductive.
Rather, we must allow such incidents to impress on us afresh the degree of the insecurity challenges we confront and motivate us to act with greater collective determination to triumph over the present evil. Thus, governments at various levels must intensify and accelerate ongoing initiatives to establish State Police to enhance security efficiency at the grassroots.
In the interim, local, state and regional security outfits, as well as forest guards, should be up-scaled and better armed to confront the very well-armed criminal elements that constitute a grave danger to our national stability and cohesion.
The intensified efforts by traditional rulers and community leaders across the country to mobilise their people to more effectively police and protect their communities is the right way to go. The efficacy of communal sources of self-preservation, especially by hunters’ and vigilante groups, cannot be underestimated.
The communities are the most important sources of critical intelligence as regards suspicious movements of people and unusual events around them that can enhance the capacity of security agencies to respond effectively to nip crime in the bud before these atrocities are successfully executed.
At least 22 people, including farmers, health workers and security personnel, were killed in an attack on Kawel village in Mushere District of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday night.
The attack occurred around 11.30pm while residents were asleep, according to the Bokkos Youth Leader, Christopher Luka.
Luka, who confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, described the attack as unprovoked and called on the government to take decisive action to prevent further violence.
The latest attack happened barely five days after the District Head of Gwande, Saf Samuel Alaket, was killed in an ambush along the Sha District axis bordering Daffo community while returning from a traditional council meeting in Bokkos.
Narrating the incident, Luka said gunmen stormed Kawel village and opened fire indiscriminately, killing residents and injuring several others.
‘As soon as I received the information, I alerted security personnel in Bokkos, and they confirmed they had also been notified,’ he said.
A Red Cross official involved in the emergency response told Daily Trust that the attackers also targeted the village’s primary healthcare centre, where health workers on duty and some patients receiving treatment were killed.
The official, who requested anonymity, said both civilians and security personnel were among those confirmed dead, while several others sustained gunshot and machete injuries.
‘Survivors were evacuated for medical attention, while severely wounded victims were moved to healthcare facilities in Bokkos and Mangu local government areas for advanced treatment,’ the official said.
He added that many residents had fled to neighbouring communities following the attack, while several houses and food storage facilities were destroyed or set ablaze.
Luka later confirmed that the death toll had risen from 18 to 22.
‘I visited the community and saw the situation firsthand. So far, 22 people, including women, have been confirmed dead,’ he said.
The Plateau State Government condemned the attack, describing it as a heinous and senseless act of violence.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, Governor Caleb Mutfwang directed security agencies to intensify operations, track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
The government also ordered emergency agencies to provide immediate relief to affected families and urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies and avoid reprisal attacks.
Security beefed up in attacked village
The Plateau State Police Command said it has deployed security personnel to restore law and order in the area.
SP Alabo Alfred, the command’s spokesperson, in a statement, said: ‘Eighteen (18) persons were confirmed dead at the scene of the attack, while three (3) others were rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
‘Subsequently, two (2) of the injured victims were confirmed dead by a medical doctor, bringing the total number of casualties to twenty (20). The remains of the victims have since been released to their families for burial, as the families declined autopsy.’
SP Alfred said as part of measures to prevent any further escalation and forestall a recurrence of the incident, the Commissioner of Police had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, and the Area Commander, Pankshin, to relocate to the affected area and coordinate an on-ground security operation.
He has also deployed additional tactical teams and personnel of the Police Mobile Force to the area to de-escalate tension, restore confidence, and commence an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators.
Over 80 killed since Tinubu’s pledge to end Plateau attacks
Despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to end the cycle of killings in Plateau State, more than 80 people have been killed in fresh attacks across several communities since his visit to the state in April.
President Tinubu visited Plateau on April 2 to sympathise with victims and families affected by the March 29 attack on Anguwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, where 28 people were killed and several others injured. The victims included students, a corps member, traders and passersby.
During a town hall meeting with stakeholders, the president assured residents that his administration would not allow continued attacks on innocent civilians.
‘There is nothing I can give you, whether in billions, that can replace the lives lost. But we will do everything possible to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again,’ he said.
He also promised the deployment of a 5,000-camera surveillance network across Jos.
However, fresh attacks were recorded barely two days after the visit.
On April 5 and 6, four people, including three farmers and a herder, were killed in separate attacks in Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs.
On April 6, three more herders were killed and five were injured in other attacks in Barkin Ladi.
A day later, gunmen ambushed and killed Badung Sunday Alamba, a 300-level student of the Federal University of Education, Pankshin, in Dum village, Riyom LGA.
Between April 8 and 12, attacks claimed more lives in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos and Bassa LGAs. Victims included farmers, miners and herders.
On April 10, eight people were killed and four were injured in Vole community of Bokkos LGA.
Violence continued on April 19 when six farmers were killed and eight others injured in attacks on communities in Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs.
A week later, a herder was killed and 21 cattle were shot in Diyan village, Riyom.
On April 27, gunmen attacked Gako village in Riyom LGA, killing a pastor and three members of his family.
The killings persisted into May. On May 4, five farmers were killed in Fan District of Barkin Ladi LGA. Three days later, 13 people lost their lives when gunmen attacked Ngbra Zongo community in Bassa LGA.
On May 9, separate attacks in Barkin Ladi claimed the lives of at least 11 people, including three herders and eight farmers, while several others sustained injuries.
The continued attacks have heightened concerns among residents, many of whom said the security situation has changed little despite assurances from the federal government.
BYM, MACBAN seek lasting peace
Leaders of both farming and herding communities in Plateau State have expressed concern that President Tinubu’s recent pledge to end the killings in the state has yet to translate into improved security on the ground.
The spokesperson of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), Rwang Tengwong, described the president’s assurance as a political statement that has not produced tangible results.
He said attacks have continued almost daily since the president’s visit.
‘To us in BYM, the promise has remained a statement because attacks have continued. Since the president left, people have been killed in different communities, and the security situation has not improved,’ he said.
Tengwong questioned how attackers continue to operate freely despite the presence of security checkpoints, noting that some attacks occurred in broad daylight and near major roads.
He said the violence, which has persisted for more than two decades, requires a more proactive approach focused on identifying and dismantling the networks behind the attacks.
‘Our leaders must go beyond making statements and take concrete actions that will end the killings,’ he added.
Similarly, the Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, said while the president’s visit was welcome, lasting peace could only be achieved through collective commitment from all stakeholders.
‘The president has a role to play, but peace cannot come through government efforts alone. Community leaders, religious leaders, groups and residents must also commit themselves to peaceful coexistence,’ he said.
Babayo noted that insecurity has affected both farmers and herders, restricting movement and livelihoods across several communities.
‘People cannot move wherever they want. Attacks are everywhere. These problems must be addressed within and not outside.
‘Of course, the President has his role in ensuring peace; it must be collaborative. Even if the president comes more than 100 times, if the people are not committed to peace, the problem cannot be solved,’ he added.
A security analyst and Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), C Division, Abdullahi Aliyu Bako, blamed the recurring attacks on security lapses and the failure to act on intelligence reports.
He said security information is often ignored until attacks occur, stressing that effective intelligence gathering and prompt response remain critical to preventing future violence.
‘Security agencies must take early warning signs seriously. No society can effectively tackle insecurity if intelligence is not acted upon,’ he said.