Gunmen on Rampage in Plateau, Kill 27, Injure Dozens in Riyom Attack
At least 27 people, mostly farmers, were killed and several others injured in a deadly dawn assault on Bindi-Jebbu village in the Tahoss community of Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State, in the early hours of Tuesday.
The attackers, believed to be armed herdsmen, had reportedly begun destructive grazing across farmlands in the area around 6:30 p.m. on Monday. In response, local farmers, vigilantes, and stationed security operatives mobilized to repel them. However, the attackers returned in greater numbers around 5:30 a.m. the following morning, unleashing a brutal second wave of violence on unsuspecting villagers.
National President of the Berom Youth Moulder Association (BYM), Barr. Dalyop Solomon, described the attack as coordinated and devastating.
“They caught the people unawares,” he said. “Twenty-seven lives were lost, many sustained injuries, houses were razed, and farmland destroyed. This is nothing short of terrorism.”
Survivors are currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and other nearby facilities. Solomon appealed to the federal government and security agencies for urgent intervention, warning that the continued assaults resemble “genocide” against rural communities in the state.
A local resident, Luka Gyang, who narrowly escaped, recounted how overwhelmed security operatives were forced to retreat due to the superior firepower and numerical strength of the attackers.
“The security tried, but they were outgunned and outnumbered,” he said.
Chairman of Riyom LGA, Hon. Sati Suwa, confirmed the incident and the death toll. He noted that law enforcement is already investigating and has promised to pursue justice for the victims.
Efforts to reach Plateau State Police spokesperson, DSP Alfred Alabo, were unsuccessful as his line remained unreachable at press time.
The attack marks another bloody chapter in the recurring violence plaguing parts of Plateau State, where residents continue to live under the shadow of insecurity despite repeated calls for government action.
