Nigerians have expressed outrage following a controversial report by a Borno-based media platform, Zagozola Makama, which downplayed the number of fatalities from Sunday’s deadly attack in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack, reportedly carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen, took place in the early hours of Sunday in Zike hamlet, Kimakpa community, Kwall District, leaving dozens of residents dead while they slept. Eyewitnesses described the incident as a coordinated onslaught, stating that the assailants entered the village under the cover of darkness and opened fire indiscriminately.
Despite prior intelligence and rumors of an impending attack, local vigilantes—shortstaffed and stretched across neighboring areas—were unable to prevent the massacre. By the time gunfire rang out and they returned, the damage had been done. According to initial reports from community leaders and local sources, at least 51 people were killed, dozens injured—many critically—and five homes were set ablaze.
However, on Tuesday, Zagozola Makama published what it called a “fact-check” disputing the reported casualty figures. The outlet claimed only 17 people were killed, stating that their team had visited the three affected villages and confirmed just 17 burials.
The publication sparked a wave of condemnation on social media, where the phrase “Only 17” began trending—used sarcastically to protest what many see as a cold and dismissive attempt to diminish the scale of the tragedy.
Critics, including civil society groups and residents of Plateau State, described the report as “insensitive,” “tone-deaf,” and “a dangerous act of erasure.” Many argue that the focus should be on justice for the victims and protection for vulnerable communities, not minimizing death tolls.
“This isn’t a numbers game. Whether 17 or 51, this was a massacre,” said one community advocate. “Every life lost matters, and this attempt to spin the narrative is deeply offensive.”
As the nation mourns, calls have intensified for a transparent investigation, accountability for those behind the attack, and concrete government action to curb the rising tide of rural violence across the Middle Belt.
