Bindi, Plateau State – At least 20 people were killed on Monday night following a brutal attack by suspected Fulani militias on the Bindi community in the Ta-Hoss district of Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State. Several others sustained injuries as terrified residents fled into the surrounding bush for safety.
The incident, which occurred while many villagers had retired for the night, saw heavily armed assailants carry out a coordinated house-to-house massacre, targeting women, children, and the elderly — many of whom were unable to escape the onslaught.
A statement released on Tuesday by the Riyom chapter of the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), signed by Chairman Gideon Manjal and Publicity Secretary Gadu Daniel Dong, described the attack as deliberate and systematic. Survivors identified the attackers as Fulani extremists who were reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons.
“The attackers, who were properly identified as Fulani extremists by survivors, stormed the Bindi community in their regular pattern of assault, which is consistent with several previous attacks across Riyom and other parts of Plateau. They systematically slaughtered over 20 innocent people,” the statement read.
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Homes were reportedly set ablaze, and many families displaced, despite the presence of security personnel and armoured military assets in the region. COPDEM strongly criticised the continued failure to prevent such attacks, despite repeated warnings and intelligence from local leaders.
“These attackers are not unknown. Their hideouts and base settlements in nearby enclaves have been repeatedly identified and reported. Yet, year after year, these known threats strike with impunity, often unchallenged,” the group said, calling into question the effectiveness and commitment of security forces on the ground.
COPDEM has demanded immediate federal intervention, urging President Bola Tinubu, the Plateau State Government, and relevant security agencies to launch a decisive military operation to dismantle terrorist enclaves. They also called for the declaration of a state of emergency in affected areas, alongside humanitarian support for displaced residents and victims of trauma.
The group expressed frustration over what they described as hollow government gestures — condolence visits and press releases that fail to translate into meaningful action.
“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,” they said.
“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.”
This latest attack adds to a long list of deadly assaults in Plateau State, where communities have frequently borne the brunt of violent conflict, often without sustained government protection or accountability.
