Eternity Attacks? Fresh Wave Claims 27 Lives of Men and Women in Plateau as Villagers Blame Armed Fulani and Lax Security

 

A fresh wave of violence has once again plunged Plateau State into mourning, as gunmen launched a deadly early morning attack on the quiet farming settlement of Bindi-Jebbu, located in the Tahoss community of Riyom Local Government Area. The assault, which unfolded between 4:00 am and 6:00 am on Tuesday, left at least 27 villagers dead, including both men and women, while many others sustained severe injuries.

Eyewitnesses described the assailants as heavily armed and relentless, moving through the village with calculated aggression. The attackers reportedly opened fire indiscriminately, torching homes and spreading chaos across the community. By the time the rampage subsided, the once peaceful farmland had become a scene of bloodshed and ruin.

Several survivors were quickly rushed to nearby health facilities for treatment, including the Jos University Teaching Hospital and Plateau Hospital. Medical personnel are said to be working around the clock to stabilize those injured in the attack, some of whom are in critical condition.

Local residents, still reeling from the horror, accused the attackers of being members of the Fulani ethnic group, a claim echoed by the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), a local advocacy group. According to Dalyop Solomon, the National President of BYM, the assault was not only deliberate but also coordinated with devastating precision.

"Twenty-seven persons were killed and many injured. We’ve had to move the bodies to various hospitals pending burial," Solomon confirmed to PUNCH Metro. He added that the association will release burial arrangements once families have completed necessary procedures.

Chairman of the Riyom Local Government Area, Bature Sati Shuwa, confirmed knowledge of the attack, although he withheld specific casualty numbers, citing the need to personally assess the situation on the ground. At the time of reporting, no official statements had been released by either Operation Safe Haven, a military task force stationed in the state, or the Plateau State Police Command.

Repeated attempts to reach the spokespersons for both security agencies were unsuccessful. Major Samson Zhakom and DSP Alabo Alfred had yet to respond to inquiries as of press time, raising concerns over transparency and the level of urgency being applied to the crisis.

More alarming were allegations leveled against some security personnel. A joint statement issued later on Tuesday by BYM leaders, Dalyop Solomon and Bature Iliya Adazaram, accused certain security units of standing by as the massacre unfolded. According to the association, the reinforcement team of Operation Safe Haven arrived at the scene but failed to intervene effectively, allegedly choosing instead to remain at a roadside vantage point even as the killings continued.

“What happened in Jebu this morning is the usual Fulani crime against humanity,” the BYM declared in its statement. “It was deliberately carried out under the watch of some security agents who are said to have been compromised by colluding with the attackers.”

Despite the grim accusations, BYM did commend the efforts of the Unit Commander stationed at Sopp, who reportedly led a counter-effort that repelled the assailants from one flank of the community, potentially saving more lives.

Public outrage is intensifying across Plateau State and beyond, with community leaders, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens calling for immediate government intervention. Many have questioned how such an extensive attack could occur for nearly two hours without decisive action from the state’s security apparatus.

Security challenges in Plateau have been worsening over recent years, with villages across the central and northern parts of the state frequently subjected to similar deadly invasions. Most of these assaults have been blamed on herder-farmer tensions, often tied to land disputes and ethnic divides. However, local voices insist the recent violence in Bindi-Jebbu goes beyond mere land conflict and is part of a larger, more insidious pattern of ethnic targeting and forced displacement.

In response to these long-standing issues, the Plateau State Government recently recruited 150 new agro-rangers tasked with defending rural communities. Yet, given the scale and audacity of this latest attack, many are questioning whether these measures are sufficient or if deeper systemic failures continue to place lives at risk.

As the community prepares to bury its dead, grief and anger mingle in the air. The silence from official channels only deepens the wound, leaving families to mourn their loved ones while demanding answers no one seems ready to provide.