Yemi Kosoko in Jos
At least 20 people were said to have died and several others injured after gunmen invaded Binper community in Kombun District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State in a midnight attack that lasted into the early hours of Tuesday.
Residents said the attackers, who were heavily armed, moved from house to house, forcing their way into homes and killing occupants who were asleep. The assault also left several houses burnt and farmlands destroyed, worsening the humanitarian situation in the agrarian community.
An eyewitness told reporters that the attackers “were moving from house to house, opening the doors of people who were sleeping and slaughtering them,” adding that more than 20 bodies had been recovered while several residents remained missing.
Another resident described the incident as “terrible,” expressing disappointment that security operatives did not arrive until after the attackers had fled. He urged both the state and Federal Governments to strengthen security around vulnerable communities in Mangu and other parts of Plateau State.
Victims who sustained injuries were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, while community leaders and volunteers continued to search for missing persons.
Security personnel were reportedly deployed to the community on Tuesday morning to restore calm and prevent further attacks.
The Plateau State Police Command confirmed the attack but said it was still verifying the number of casualties. Additional information indicated that the new Commissioner of Police, CP Ayodeji Faniyan, and senior officers of the command were on their way to the affected community to assess the extent of damage.
Meanwhile, the Mwaghavul Youth Movement (MYM) has condemned the attack, expressing grief and anger over what it described as repeated failures of government security structures to protect law‑abiding citizens.
In a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Tubwot Joël Sunday, the Movement said the destruction of lives, homes and farmlands amounted to an assault on the community’s dignity and future.
The group said it was disturbing that communities were increasingly left to defend themselves against heavily armed attackers, noting that casualties would have been higher but for the intervention of local youths who stood guard throughout the night. It insisted that community self‑defence must not become a substitute for a functional security system.
The Movement called on Governor Caleb Mutfwang and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently reassess the security situation in vulnerable communities and take concrete steps to prevent further attacks.
It demanded a transparent investigation into the Binper incident and other attacks in Mangu LGA, insisting that those responsible must be identified and brought to justice.
The statement added that the recurring killings and destruction of farmlands could no longer be treated as ordinary incidents, stressing that every life lost represented a Nigerian life that mattered.
The Mwaghavul Youth Movement said it mourned with families who lost loved ones and urged government to take “uncommon action” to end the cycle of violence in Plateau State.
Mangu LGA has experienced recurring attacks in recent years, with communities repeatedly targeted by armed groups. Despite multiple security operations, residents say the violence has persisted, leaving thousands displaced and farmlands destroyed.