Twenty-four people have been buried after gunmen attacked Binper in Plateau, with residents mourning victims and demanding stronger security in Mangu.
Grief has engulfed Binper community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State following a deadly overnight attack in which at least 24 residents were killed and several others injured.
The victims were later buried in a mass ceremony as families and community members struggled to come to terms with the scale of the violence.
The attack has also triggered renewed demands for stronger security measures in Mangu, particularly around communities considered vulnerable to attacks.
Residents said the violence occurred between Monday night and the early hours of Tuesday when armed men entered the community and allegedly targeted people in their homes.
Rather than remaining in one location, the attackers reportedly moved through different parts of the settlement, breaking into houses and attacking residents who were asleep.
The development created panic among residents, with some fleeing their homes in an attempt to escape the attackers while others were left searching for relatives after the assailants had withdrawn.
Daniel Musa, a resident who witnessed the aftermath, said the community woke up to a devastating scene.
According to him, more than 24 deaths had been established by Tuesday morning, while several other residents were nursing serious injuries.
He added that the whereabouts of some members of the community were still unknown, raising fears that the number of casualties could increase.
The injured victims were reportedly taken to hospitals in nearby areas for treatment.
The latest incident has left residents questioning the level of protection available to communities in the area, particularly following previous concerns over attacks in parts of Plateau State.
John Dalyop, another resident, appealed to the state’s new Commissioner of Police to treat the incident as an urgent security matter and ensure that those behind the killings are tracked down.
He also called on the Federal Government and the Plateau State Government to strengthen security around communities exposed to attacks.
Dalyop described the incident as unacceptable and said residents should not be left to face heavily armed attackers without adequate protection.
Community counts its losses
The Mwaghavul Youth Movement confirmed that 24 people were killed during the attack.
The organisation said the destruction extended beyond the loss of lives, alleging that houses were burnt and farmlands destroyed.
For a community where agriculture provides an important source of livelihood, the destruction of crops and farmland could further compound the difficulties faced by affected families.
In a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs, Tubwot Sunday, the group expressed anger and grief over the incident.
The movement also raised concerns about the effectiveness of security arrangements in communities that have repeatedly faced violence.
It questioned why residents continued to be exposed to attacks despite the presence of security structures intended to protect them.
The group urged authorities to move beyond condemnations and take practical measures capable of preventing another tragedy.
Women protest over deaths
The killings prompted women from Bin-Per in Ruff, Kombun District, to take part in a peaceful protest.
Carrying leaves, the women marched in mourning and called for immediate intervention from the authorities.
Their protest reflected the deep impact of the attack on families, with many women mourning husbands, children, relatives and other members of the community.
One of the protesters, Mrs Ladi Joshua, said the women could not remain silent in the face of the killings.
She appealed for measures that would guarantee the safety of residents and prevent communities from being repeatedly exposed to violence.
The protest took place against the backdrop of the mass burial of the victims.
24 victims laid to rest
Community members gathered to bury the 24 people killed in the attack.
Kyesmang Jonathan, President of the Mwaghavul Youth Movement, confirmed that the 24 victims had been buried.
He said some of those who survived the attack were still undergoing treatment in hospitals.
Jonathan described the incident as a devastating loss and condemned the killing of residents who were simply trying to live in their community.
The mass burial brought the human cost of the attack into sharper focus as families were forced to bury several loved ones at once.
Political group demands action
The attack has also attracted condemnation from political actors in the state.
Jude Dakur, the Plateau State Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, described the killings as barbaric and unacceptable.
He expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and condemned the reported destruction of homes, farms and property.
Dakur said the killing of people inside their homes, particularly while they were asleep, represented a serious threat to the security of ordinary citizens.
He urged security agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly and ensure that those responsible are prosecuted.
Governor orders security boost
In response to the attack, Governor Caleb Mutfwang directed security agencies to intensify operations across Mangu Local Government Area.
The governor ordered increased surveillance and patrols around the affected community as well as other areas regarded as vulnerable.
Mutfwang, through the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, condemned the attack and described it as a disturbing development.
The governor’s position was that incidents of this nature must not be allowed to undermine efforts to maintain peace across Plateau State.
Security personnel were subsequently deployed to the affected area, with the aim of restoring calm and preventing further violence.
However, residents are expected to closely monitor the government’s response, particularly whether the increased security presence will be sustained after the immediate crisis subsides.
US Congressman raises religious freedom concern
United States Congressman Riley Moore cited the Plateau incident while urging the US Department of State to retain Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom concerns.
Moore reacted to reports of the Binper attack in a post on X, arguing that attacks against Christians in parts of the Middle Belt remained a major concern.
He said the situation demonstrated why, in his view, Nigeria should not be removed from the CPC designation.
Nigeria was initially placed on the US Country of Particular Concern list in December 2020 during the first administration of former President Donald Trump.
The designation followed concerns raised by the US government about religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
The administration of former President Joe Biden subsequently removed Nigeria from the list in November 2021.
The Binper attack has now renewed calls for greater protection of civilians in Plateau State, particularly in communities where residents remain vulnerable to armed violence.
While investigations into the incident are expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the killings and identify those responsible, the immediate priority for the affected community remains the recovery of the injured, accounting for missing residents and supporting families who lost loved ones.
For Binper residents, the mass burial may have marked the end of the immediate search for the victims, but it has also opened a painful new chapter for families now demanding one thing from the authorities: security strong enough to ensure that another mass burial is not required.
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