At least six people, including a woman, have been confirmed dead following renewed violent attacks in Plateau State. The assaults occurred in separate incidents across Bassa and Mangu local government areas, reigniting tensions in the crisis-prone region.
Local sources said the first attack unfolded in the early hours of Monday around Ancha community in Bassa LGA. Victims, mostly herders, had reportedly gone missing around 3:00 a.m. while grazing cattle. Their bodies were later discovered in the community, prompting a wave of grief and fear among residents.
Garba Abdullahi, the Plateau State Chairman of the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN), confirmed the killings. He stated that the herders were dragged from their grazing location to Ancha, where they were murdered in cold blood. Abdullahi added that the incident had been formally reported to security agencies, including the police and Operation Safe Haven.
In a separate incident in Gyenbwas Rinji, a community in Langai District of Mangu LGA, two more people — including a woman — were killed in what residents described as a coordinated attack. Eyewitnesses said the gunmen stormed the area around 7:00 a.m., firing indiscriminately and setting houses ablaze.
Aliyu Adamu, whose brother was among the victims, told the media that the attackers arrived in large numbers and unleashed terror on the community. “They shot sporadically, killed my brother and another woman, and burned many homes,” he said.
However, the situation in Gyenbwas Rinji remains clouded by counter-narratives. The acting chairman of the Mwaghavul Youth Development Association (MYM) in Mangu Halle District, Mangs Fwangkat Isa, offered a different account. According to Isa, the violence was triggered by an earlier ambush on Sunday evening, in which herders allegedly attacked three Mwaghavul youths, killing one and injuring two others.
“The FOB command intervened on Monday morning, appealing for calm,” Isa explained. “But while we were trying to de-escalate the situation, armed herders reappeared and began shooting. Our youth reacted, using only sticks and cutlasses, since security was inadequate.”
The clash left at least 10 people injured, many of whom are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in Halle and Mangu towns.
The latest wave of violence follows a similar incident just a day earlier in Uwok-Ishe community, Bassa, where four people — including farmers and herders — were ambushed and killed en route to mining sites. These recurring attacks have further exacerbated fears of a prolonged security breakdown in Plateau State.
Authorities have yet to issue a comprehensive statement on the latest incidents, but security forces are reportedly on high alert as investigations continue.
