The Plateau State University, located in Bokkos, was suspended in 2007 and later reopened in 2012.
Recent Violence and Conflict
Plateau State has experienced recurrent violence rooted in complex issues, including competition over land, ethnicity, religion, and political power. Both Christian and Muslim communities have suffered from these conflicts, with tragic losses on all sides.
However, the violence in Plateau State is not one-sided. Muslim communities have also been victims of attacks. In August 2021, a convoy of five buses carrying Muslim worshippers returning from a religious event in Bauchi State to Akure, Ondo State, was ambushed in Rukuba, near Jos. The attack led to the killing of at least 22 Muslim travelers.[3](https://www.africanews.com/2021/08/16/at-least-22-killed-in-central-nigeria-attack/)
There have also been reports of attacks targeting Muslim individuals and groups. For example, recent claims suggest that Muslim Quranic students traveling from Bauchi to Jos were attacked, and that a Muslim military general was killed when his vehicle was attacked, with his body reportedly discarded in a river. However, detailed and verified reports on these incidents are limited.
Understanding the Conflict
The ongoing violence in Plateau State reflects long-standing tensions involving land disputes, ethnic divisions, and religious differences between predominantly Christian farming communities and Muslim Fulani herders. Both sides have experienced devastating losses, and media portrayals of these events can sometimes contribute to misunderstandings.
Efforts toward peace building, dialogue, and reconciliation remain critical to addressing the root causes of these conflicts and preventing further violence. A balanced narrative that acknowledges the suffering of all affected communities is essential for fostering unity and lasting peace in the region.
Government
It has an area of 1,682 km2 and a population of 178,454 at the 2006 census. Ron languages are the indigenous languages spoken in Bokkos.[1]
Butura dancers during the Nawhai Festival in Bokkos.
Bokkos Local Government has eight districts which are Bokkos, Mushere, Daffo, Sha, Manguna, Richard, Toff, and Kamwai. There are 20 electoral wards in Bokkos.
The Paramount ruler of Bokkos is called saf Ron/Kulere. He is the Chairman of the Bokkos traditional council.
Climate/Geography
Bokkos is always warm, partially cloudy during the dry season, and muggy and overcast during the wet one. The average annual temperature fluctuates between 54 °F and 89 °F; it is rarely lower or higher than 49 °F or 93 °F. The 2.7-month hot season, which runs from January 28 to April 18, has daily highs that average more than 85 °F. With an average high temperature of 89 °F and low temperature of 63 °F, March is the hottest month of the year in Bokkos.[5][6]
Summertime temperatures above 76 °F are rare during the 3.5-month-long cold season, which runs from June 27 to October 10. August, with an average low temperature of 61 °F and high temperature of 72 °F, is the coldest month of the year in Bokkos.[7][8]
Bokkos LGA has an average annual temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and is spread across 1,682 square kilometers. Bokkos LGA has an average humidity of 55% and an average wind speed of 14 km/h.[9]
Cloud
Throughout the year, there is a noticeable seasonal change in the average percentage of cloud cover in Bokkos. In Bokkos, the clearest portion of the year lasts 3.8 months, starting about November 5 and ending around February 29. January is the clearest month of the year in Bokkos, with 53% of the sky being clear, mostly clear, or partly overcast on average. About November 5, the cloudier portion of the year ends. It starts about February 29 and lasts for 8.2 months. May is the cloudiest month of the year in Bokkos, with the sky being overcast or largely cloudy 85% of the time on average.[5]
^Blench, Roger M. 2003. Why reconstructing comparative Ron is so problematic. In Wolff, Ekkehard (ed.), Topics in Chadic linguistics: papers from the 1st biennial international colloquium on the Chadic language family (Leipzig, July 5–8, 2001), 21-42. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag.
