By Joy Musa
Tragedy struck Bindi village in the Ta-Hoss District of Riyom Local Government Area late Monday night as gunmen suspected to be Fulani militants launched a deadly assault, killing at least 20 residents and injuring many others.
Loading ...Eyewitness accounts describe a harrowing scene: heavily armed attackers moved house to house under the cover of darkness, targeting women, children, and the elderly in a coordinated massacre. Survivors fled into nearby bushes, many sustaining injuries in the chaos.
Homes were razed, families torn apart, and the community left traumatized. Despite the presence of military personnel and armored vehicles in the area, the assailants operated with impunity.
The Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), in a statement signed by Chairman Gideon Manjal and Publicity Secretary Gadu Daniel Dong, condemned the attack as a deliberate attempt to displace indigenous communities from their ancestral lands.
> “These attackers are not ghosts. Their locations are well-known and have been reported time and again. The fact that they continue to operate freely points to a deep failure of governance and protection,” the statement read.
COPDEM criticized the government’s response, citing repeated warnings about militant hideouts that have gone unheeded. The group called on President Bola Tinubu and Plateau State authorities to declare a state of emergency and initiate military operations to dismantle terrorist enclaves.
In addition to security measures, COPDEM urged for immediate humanitarian relief, trauma support, and long-term rebuilding efforts for affected communities such as Ta-Hoss, Jol, Rim, Nding, and others.
“We cannot continue to bury our people while leaders offer empty condolences and recycled statements. Communities deserve real protection, not just promises,” the group emphasized.
As Plateau State reels from yet another violent episode, calls for decisive action grow louder. The people of Bindi and surrounding villages await justice, security, and the restoration of peace.
