Suspected Fulani militias attacked the Bindi community in the Ta-Hoss district of the Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State, on Monday night, killing at least 20 people.
The attack left many others injured and forced residents to flee for their lives.
According to a statement jointly signed by Gideon Manjal and Gadu Daniel Dong, Chairman and Publicity Secretary of the Riyom chapter of the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), the attackers targeted the community while residents were asleep. They carried out a house-to-house massacre, killing women, children, and elderly individuals who could not escape the onslaught.
The statement, made available to DAILY POST on Tuesday, alleged that the attackers were Fulani extremists armed with sophisticated weapons and were intent on exterminating the community to seize 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 group said.
“This assault occurred despite the visible presence of security forces in and around the area, including armoured military assets. Homes were burnt, 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 coalition strongly condemned the failure of the authorities to prevent the recurring violence, accusing the security structure of inaction, negligence, and systemic compromise.
“The recurring nature of these atrocities points not only to a failure of protection but also raises grave questions about inaction, negligence, and systemic compromise,” the statement added.
COPDEM called on President Bola Tinubu, the Plateau State government, and security agencies to launch a decisive military operation to dismantle the identified terrorist camps. They also urged the declaration of a state of emergency in the affected areas, along with immediate humanitarian assistance, infrastructure rebuilding, and trauma support for the victims.
Expressing frustration over repeated inaction, the group criticized the government’s reliance on condolence messages and symbolic gestures instead of concrete efforts to end the violence.
“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,” the statement concluded.
