Fresh Plateau Attacks: Pastor, 8 Passengers Killed

JOS – At least nine persons have been killed in fresh attacks in Barkin Ladi, Riyom and neighbouring communities in Plateau State between Saturday night and Sunday morning, triggering tension and evacuation of women and children.

Five of the victims were passengers travelling to Gana-Ropp in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area when they were attacked on Saturday night, while two others, including a pastor, were reportedly killed on their way to church at Dorowa Babuje yesterday morning.

A woman was also reportedly killed at Baten Wereng in Riyom LGA on Saturday night, September 19, while another person was killed at Ratyidi in Fan District.

Several cattle were also reportedly killed or stolen at Dorowa Maranba and the Kantoma axis at about 3 a.m. on Sunday.

National President of the Mwaghavul Development Association, MDA, Bulus Dabit, confirmed the killing of the five persons at Gana-Ropp, condemning the attack and calling on security operatives to arrest the perpetrators.

Pyem Youth Leader in Gana-Ropp, Ukasha Garaba, said: “We evacuated the corpses of five persons from Gana-Ropp.

They were passengers who were travelling as labourers.

”Spokesman of the Berom Youth Moulders, BYM, Rwang Tengwong, also confirmed the attacks and condemned the killings, describing them as worrisome and unacceptable.

Meanwhile, tension has gripped Dorowa Bubuje community in Barkin Ladi following renewed gunshots reportedly heard from the direction of Kantoma, forcing women and children to flee to safer locations.

A community member, Lawrence Shong, said: “As I speak to you, at about 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, we are still hearing sounds of gunshots. Women and children are currently being evacuated because of the ongoing attack.”

Tengwong, who was at the community, said: “Military personnel have been drafted to the community, and what we need now is sustained security deployment to protect the people and prevent further attacks.”

Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, in Barkin Ladi, Gambo Abubakar, also confirmed reports of cattle being stolen in the area and urged security agencies to investigate.

Reacting to the attacks, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, on Sunday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property.

Mutfwang, who spoke amid renewed attacks in parts of the state, said he would not abandon his responsibility of securing the people, insisting that Plateau would not be defeated by violence or the gun.

The Governor spoke at the 2026 Plateau Annual Convention of the General Council of the Assemblies of God Nigeria, North East Zone, held at the Assemblies of God Nigeria, Jos District Headquarters, Gyel, along the Bukuru Expressway, Jos South Local Government Area.

The convention was held under the theme, “Breaking Barriers into Your Next Level.”

Mutfwang said his administration had continued to work with security agencies to confront perpetrators of violence and restore lasting peace across the state.”

“I cannot abandon my responsibility of securing the people of Plateau State. We will protect our people with all that we have, within the ambit of the law. Plateau State will not be defeated by violence or the gun. We must remain united because our collective strength is critical to overcoming the challenges confronting us.”

“We are ready to die here,” miners return to site

That was the grim declaration of some teenage and adult miners who returned to the M.I. Wushishi mining site in Minna, Niger State, even as the mass arrest of suspected illegal miners was still underway, insisting that they had no other means of livelihood.

The miners returned to the site despite the arrest of scores of their colleagues by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and the subsequent deaths of 37 of those detained.

Many of the miners, including boys, women and adults, were seen working at the site on Saturday, digging for gold with shovels, picks and other hand tools.

Some of them said they had returned to the mining site on the same day the NSCDC carried out the mass arrests, arguing that abandoning mining would leave them without any source of income.

Their return came after the NSCDC conducted operations around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna on September 15 and 16.

The corps said the operation led to the arrest of suspected illegal miners.