Gunmen believed to be Fulani militias stormed the Bindi hamlet in the Ta-Hoss region of the Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday night, killing at least 20 people. Residents left the area for safety, leaving an unknown number of people wounded.
According to a statement that was co-signed by Gideon Manjal and Gadu Daniel Dong, the Chairman and Publicity Secretary of the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) chapter in Riyom, the attackers entered the village after everyone had gone to bed and attacked each home one by one, killing women, children, and elderly people who were unable to flee.
The Coalition statement, obtained by The Intercept on Tuesday, said the attackers, who were identified by survivors as Fulani extremists, were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons and made it clear that their mission was to exterminate the people and take over their land.
“The attackers, who were properly identified as Fulani extremists by survivors, stormed the Bindi community in Ta-Hoss district of Riyom Local Government Area on Monday night and, in their regular pattern of attack which is consistent with several previous attacks across Riyom and other parts of Plateau, systematically slaughtered over 20 innocent people including women, children, and old people,” the statement said.
“This assault occurred despite the visible presence of security forces in and around the area, including armoured military assets. Homes were burned, families displaced, and trauma deepened.
“It must be clearly stated that these attackers are not unknown. Their hideouts and base settlements in nearby enclaves have been repeatedly identified and reported by community leaders and local authorities. Yet, year after year, these known threats continue to strike with impunity, often unchallenged.
“The recurring nature of these atrocities points not only to a failure of protection but raises grave questions about inaction, negligence, and systemic compromise.”
In addition to declaring a state of emergency in the impacted areas and offering immediate humanitarian aid, community reconstruction initiatives, and trauma support, the group urged President Bola Tinubu, the Plateau State government, and security agencies to order a high-level intervention and military operation to dismantle the known terrorist enclaves.
They also objected to government officials’ condolence visits, news conferences, and daily burials of their family members, which typically result in empty rhetoric rather than tangible steps to stop attacks on communities around the state.
“Our people are being buried daily. We are tired of condolence visits and silence. We are tired of press statements that do not translate to protection.
“The community of Ta-Hoss, like Jol, Rim, Bachi, Wereng, Nding, and other previously hit areas, deserves more than sympathy. They deserve security, dignity, and justice,” they said.
