Tragedy struck the Bindi community in Ta-Hoss District of Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State, as gunmen launched a late-night assault on Monday, leaving at least 20 people dead and many others injured.
Residents say the attackers, suspected to be armed Fulani militia, stormed the village under the cover of darkness and went from house to house, killing men, women, children, and the elderly who were unable to flee.
The attack caused widespread panic as survivors ran for safety, abandoning their homes.
The incident was confirmed in a statement released Tuesday by the local chapter of the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), signed by its Chairman, Gideon Manjal, and Publicity Secretary, Gadu Daniel Dong.
According to the group, the attackers were heavily armed and appeared intent on wiping out the community and seizing its land.
“The assailants, identified by survivors as Fulani extremists, carried out the attack in a calculated and coordinated manner. More than 20 people were killed, including vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the elderly,” the statement read.
Despite the presence of military personnel and security installations in the region, the attackers reportedly operated unhindered, setting homes ablaze and leaving dozens displaced.
COPDEM expressed frustration over the repeated targeting of communities in Riyom and surrounding areas, calling the killings part of a larger, systematic effort to displace indigenous people.
“The locations of these assailants and their hideouts have long been known to local authorities and security operatives,” the group noted.
“Their continued operations raise serious concerns about negligence, compromise, or outright failure on the part of the state to protect its citizens.”
The group called on President Bola Tinubu, the Plateau State government, and security agencies to urgently intervene by launching full-scale military operations against known armed groups and declaring a state of emergency in the affected areas.
They also demanded immediate humanitarian assistance, trauma care, and the rebuilding of destroyed communities, warning that mere condolence visits and empty statements from officials are no longer enough.
“We are tired of burying our people daily. We are tired of press releases that never lead to real protection. Communities like Ta-Hoss, Jol, Rim, Wereng, and Bachi deserve justice, security, and lasting peace,” the statement concluded.