The Plateau State government has sharply criticized the Nigerian military over the killing of 27 farmers in Riyom Local Government Area, saying soldiers stationed just 200 meters from the scene failed to prevent the massacre or arrest the assailants.
The attack took place early Tuesday in the Tahoss community area, where gunmen invaded Bindi-Jebbu village, opened fire on residents, burned homes, and destroyed crops before fleeing without arrest. Local officials and a youth group say intelligence about the attack was available in advance, but military reinforcements did not intervene effectively.
“There was a military checkpoint barely 200 meters from where this incident occurred,” said Plateau Commissioner for Information Joyce Ramnap during a television interview. “The response we got was that none were arrested and none were captured. This is not a hidden community—help could have arrived swiftly.”
Governor Caleb Mutfwang called on security agencies to overhaul their approach to tackling insecurity in the state, describing the repeated killings as “unacceptable” and demanding arrests to restore community trust. He visited the affected village Wednesday, condemning the violence as “an act of genocide” and urging thorough investigation.
The Berom Youth Moulders Association, in a statement, accused some security agents of complicity, alleging the attackers operated “under the watch of compromised security operatives”. The group called for a transparent inquiry, justice for victims, and stronger protection for rural communities.
Residents are living in fear after the latest in a wave of violence that has killed hundreds across Plateau State since December 2023. “People are in panic now,” a local told BBC News Pidgin.
The Plateau government recently recruited 150 new agro-rangers to bolster security, but officials say such measures will be meaningless without decisive action from the military and law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice.
No arrests have been made as of Thursday afternoon. The military has not issued a public statement directly addressing the accusations in Riyom.
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