Gunmen Ambush miners in Jos kill Two, injure Two

Gunmen in the early hours of Sunday, June 8, ambushed a group of miners along the Mai Farin Mota–Rafin Bauna mining route in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing two and leaving two others critically injured.

The victims were on their way to a mining site around 5:20 a.m. when they were attacked.

Those killed have been identified as Kabiru Mohammed and David Danlami, while Bilal Ibrahim and Ayobene Ahile sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

Security operatives, including personnel from the Plateau State Police Command and local vigilantes, have since launched a search-and-rescue operation in the surrounding bush to track down the assailants.

The Sunday morning ambush is one of two attacks that rocked Plateau State over the weekend.

On Saturday night, a separate incident in Uwok-Ishe community of Kakkek ward, Bassa Local Government Area, left four people dead and two injured, also in a suspected mining-related ambush.

These attacks come amid a wave of escalating violence in Plateau, where no fewer than 41 people have been killed in the past week across Bassa, Riyom, Bokkos, and Mangu local government areas.

Over 80 homes and farmlands have reportedly been destroyed, displacing several families.

Residents and community leaders have called on security agencies to scale up intelligence efforts and increase patrols around mining zones and other vulnerable areas, describing the recent attacks as a deliberate attempt to destabilize local livelihoods and instill fear.

As investigations continue, authorities are urging the public to remain calm and report suspicious activities to relevant security formations.