Plateau State was once again thrown into mourning on Monday night after at least 20 people were killed in a deadly attack on Bindi village, located in the Ta-Hoss District of Riyom Local Government Area.
The gruesome incident marks yet another tragic chapter in the persistent violence that has plagued rural communities across the state.
According to eyewitness reports, the attackers stormed the village while residents were fast asleep. In a coordinated house-to-house raid, the heavily armed assailants targeted homes, killing indiscriminately.
Women, children, and the elderly were among the victims, many of whom were unable to escape the onslaught. Several others sustained injuries, leaving the community devastated and in fear for their safety.
Despite the presence of security forces in the area, including armored military assets, residents expressed frustration over what they described as an inadequate response.
The Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), Riyom Chapter, condemned the killings, asserting that the assault was part of a wider agenda to displace indigenous communities and seize their ancestral lands.
In a statement jointly signed by COPDEM Chairman Gideon Manjal and Publicity Secretary Gadu Dong, the group lamented that the attackers’ identities and hideouts are well-known to authorities, yet no decisive action has been taken to neutralize them.
COPDEM further accused both state and federal governments of negligence, citing a pattern of unchecked violence in communities such as Ta-Hoss, Jol, Rim, and Bachi.
The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang to immediately authorize a full-scale military operation to rid the region of terrorist elements.
They also urged the government to provide humanitarian assistance, trauma counselling, and reconstruction support to the affected communities.
Senator Pam Dachungyang, who represents Plateau North in the National Assembly, also condemned the attack, describing the situation in the region as akin to a war zone.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media, Eric Dung, Senator Dachungyang decried the recurring violence in Plateau’s farming communities, including previous assaults on Jol and Rim villages. He warned that beyond the tragic loss of lives, the relentless attacks pose a severe threat to food security and rural livelihoods.
“The persistent, daily, and unprovoked attacks are a disgrace to us all. What happened in Bindi (Jebu) is beyond tragic and must be condemned by every well-meaning Nigerian,” Senator Dachungyang stated.
The latest killings have reignited widespread calls for enhanced security interventions and stronger governance to protect vulnerable communities across Plateau State.
Many citizens are demanding concrete action, not just empty promises, to end the cycle of bloodshed and displacement that continues to haunt the region.