Pastor Hills Emmanuel is reported dead after being abducted alongside a fellow cleric along the Barkin Ladi-Bokkos road in Plateau State, as separate attacks reportedly leave four more dead across the state. Details remain unverified.
Bokkos, Plateau State — August 29, 2026
Plateau State has reportedly been hit by a series of violent incidents that left at least five people dead, including a cleric who was found dead a day after being abducted along the Barkin Ladi-Bokkos road, according to local reports that remain pending independent confirmation.
Among those reported killed was Pastor Hills Emmanuel, a Ghanaian-Nigerian cleric and founder of The Wonderful Grace of God Evangelical Ministry in Bokkos.
According to the reports, Emmanuel and a fellow cleric, Pastor Gabriel Joseph Dipak of Christ Apostolic Church, were allegedly abducted on Friday, August 28, while travelling from Jos to Bokkos in a commercial vehicle carrying nine passengers. Armed men reportedly intercepted the vehicle, taking the two pastors away while dispossessing the other passengers of phones and cash before releasing them.
Pastor Emmanuel's body was reportedly discovered early Saturday morning near the area where the abduction occurred. As of Saturday, Pastor Dipak's whereabouts remained unknown, with reports suggesting his family had been contacted by the abductors, a detail that, if accurate, would point to an ongoing ransom negotiation.
The reported violence was not confined to the Barkin Ladi-Bokkos axis. Additional incidents were said to have occurred in parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu LGAs, including the reported killing of a woman in Fang village, two others reportedly killed in Radura village, and one person reportedly injured in Chakfem.
The identities of the perpetrators and the full circumstances surrounding each incident have not been independently established, and this report could not be corroborated through other news outlets at the time of writing. Authorities are expected to investigate and provide further details as the situation develops.
Residents are calling for an increased security presence along vulnerable routes and in rural communities to prevent further attacks.
If confirmed, this would add to a difficult stretch for Plateau's clergy and rural communities, following a string of attacks on pastors and church congregations recorded across Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom LGAs earlier this year.
This is a developing story based on a single local report. We will update it as independently verified information becomes available.
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