Plateau Attack: 24 Killed, Several Injured as Gunmen Invade Mangu Community

No fewer than 24 persons have been killed and several others injured following an attack by suspected gunmen on Bin-Per community in the Ruff area of Kombun District, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The attack, which reportedly occurred between Monday night and the early hours of Tuesday, left residents in shock as the assailants allegedly moved from house to house, forcing their way into homes and attacking people while they slept.

An eyewitness, Daniel Musa, said the attackers were heavily armed and operated for hours without resistance.

“Our village came under attack last night and in the early hours of today by heavily armed persons. They were moving from house to house, opening the doors of people who were sleeping and slaughtering them,” Musa said.

He added that more than 24 deaths had been confirmed as of Tuesday morning, while several other residents sustained serious injuries and some remained missing.

Another resident, John Dalyop, described the incident as “terrible” and called on the state and Federal Governments to urgently strengthen security in Mangu and other vulnerable communities across Plateau State.

“We expected the new Commissioner of Police in the state to act quickly and go after those responsible,” Dalyop said, condemning the attack as barbaric and urging security agencies to intensify surveillance and patrols in the area.

He said some of the injured victims had been taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, while community leaders and residents were working to account for those still missing. Security operatives were also reportedly deployed to the community to restore calm and prevent further attacks.

The Mwaghavul Youth Movement, which confirmed the attack, put the death toll at 24, saying several residents were injured, while homes were reportedly set ablaze and farmlands destroyed.

In a statement by its Director of Public Affairs, Tubwot Sunday, the group expressed “deep grief, anger and profound dissatisfaction” over the incident, saying the attack had devastated families and threatened the livelihoods of residents who depend largely on farming.

The movement also expressed concern that the attack occurred despite the presence of security architecture meant to protect residents, stressing that repeated attacks on vulnerable communities had raised questions about the effectiveness and responsiveness of the security system.

Meanwhile, women from Bin-Per community staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday over the killings. The women, who marched in large numbers with leaves in their hands, lamented the gruesome deaths and called for urgent government action to protect residents.

One of the protesters, Mrs Ladi Joshua, said the community was devastated by the loss of husbands, children, relatives and other loved ones.

The 24 victims were later given a mass burial, while several others who sustained injuries remained in hospitals receiving medical attention.

Speaking at the burial, President of the Mwaghavul Youth Movement, Kyesmang Jonathan, confirmed that 24 victims had so far been buried, describing the killings as a painful loss to the community and condemning the continued attacks on innocent residents.

Also reacting, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, scribe in Plateau State, Jude Dakur, condemned the attack, describing it as barbaric, senseless and unacceptable.

Dakur expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and destruction of homes, farmlands and property, saying the killing of innocent citizens, particularly people attacked while asleep in their homes, represented a grave assault on the sanctity of human life.

He called for decisive action to prevent the recurrence of such attacks and ensure that residents of vulnerable communities could live and farm without fear.

Mutfwang Orders Intensified Security in Mangu

Following the attack, Governor Caleb Mutfwang directed security agencies to intensify surveillance and patrols in the affected community and other vulnerable areas of Mangu Local Government Area.

The directive followed the deadly assault on Bin-Per, which left several residents dead and others injured, while homes and farmlands were reportedly destroyed.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, Governor Mutfwang condemned the attack, describing it as a disturbing development capable of undermining the peace and security being consolidated across the state.

The governor urged security agencies to intensify efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killings and ensure that residents were adequately protected.

Meanwhile, United States Congressman Riley Moore has urged the US Department of State not to lift Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, citing the killings in Plateau State.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Moore said Christians were being killed across the Middle Belt with impunity and warned Washington against what he described as a repeat of the “Biden era mistake.”

“This is exactly why the @StateDept cannot lift Nigeria’s CPC designation. Nothing has changed in the Middle Belt,” Moore wrote.

Reacting to reports of the Bin-Per attack, the Congressman added: “There may be progress in the North, but nothing has changed in the Middle Belt where most attacks against Christians occur. We must stop the genocide.”

Nigeria was designated a Country of Particular Concern by the US State Department in December 2020 under the first Trump administration over concerns about religious freedom violations. The Biden administration removed Nigeria from the list in November 2021.