By CHARLES CHIJIOKE
At least 12 persons have reportedly been killed in separate coordinated attacks on communities in Riyom and Bassa Local Government Areas of Plateau State, in what observers describe as another troubling escalation of violence in the North-Central region.
The latest killings, which occurred between the late hours of Thursday and the early hours of Friday, have further heightened fears over worsening insecurity and recurring reprisal attacks across several Plateau communities already battling persistent tensions.
According to security sources cited by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, three residents were killed after suspected militia attackers invaded Gwa Rim village in Riyom LGA around 11pm on Thursday.
The sources disclosed that troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), who had earlier been deployed to nearby Angwan Wereng following intelligence reports of possible unrest, responded after distress calls and reports of gunfire from the area.
“On arrival at the scene, troops discovered three locals already killed by the attackers who fled on sighting the advancing security personnel,” a military source reportedly said.
The victims were identified as Alpha David, Matthew Solomon and Timothy Dachung.
Security personnel were said to have immediately launched pursuit operations in an effort to track down the fleeing attackers and prevent additional violence from spreading to nearby communities.
However, tensions reportedly escalated shortly after the incident as some angry youths resisted attempts by security operatives to evacuate the bodies of the victims to a mortuary, reflecting growing frustration among residents over repeated attacks in the area.
In another deadly incident hours later, no fewer than nine persons were reportedly killed after gunmen attacked Zhe Brazongo village in Bassa LGA at about 12:15am on Friday.
Security sources said troops moved into the community after receiving reports of heavy gunfire, but the assailants had already escaped before security operatives arrived at the scene.
“During search operations around the village, troops discovered nine corpses of villagers with gunshot wounds and machete cuts,” another military source was quoted as saying.
Preliminary security findings indicated that the attackers stormed the village in large numbers, opened fire indiscriminately on residents and later escaped through surrounding bush paths before reinforcements arrived.
Several other residents were also said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries during the attack, while security personnel later took control of the affected communities to prevent further reprisals and restore calm.
The renewed violence is the latest in a series of deadly attacks that have continued to plague Plateau State, particularly in Riyom, Bassa, Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs, where clashes linked to communal tensions, land disputes and armed militia activities have repeatedly claimed lives over the years.
Military authorities said troops under Operation Enduring Peace have intensified patrols, intelligence-driven missions and rapid-response operations across vulnerable communities as part of efforts to contain the deteriorating security situation.
The fresh killings are expected to renew pressure on both the Plateau State Government and federal security authorities to strengthen protection for rural communities and address the underlying causes of the recurring violence.
Residents and civil society groups have repeatedly warned that failure to halt the cycle of attacks and reprisals could further deepen humanitarian concerns, displacement and instability across the state.
