Plateau Attacks: 8 Killed, Homes Torched in Mangu Night Raid as Residents Cry for Help
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos, Nigeria —
At least eight people were killed and dozens of homes set ablaze during a coordinated night assault by unidentified gunmen on Chicim and Gyenbwas communities in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
According to local sources, the deadly attack occurred around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, catching many residents off guard as they slept. Gunmen reportedly stormed Chicim first, shooting sporadically and causing panic among villagers.
Nankus Habila, a local resident, recounted the harrowing experience. “They came in large numbers and just started shooting. People ran into the bush; others were trapped. It was chaos.”
The violence soon spread to neighboring Gyenbwas in the Langai District, where the attackers razed dozens of homes, leaving families displaced and property destroyed.
As of press time, no official statement had been issued by the Plateau State Police Command or the military task force, Operation Safe Haven. Calls to OpSH spokesperson, Major Samson Zhakom, went unanswered, and police spokesperson DSP Alfred Alabo’s number was unreachable.
Residents, now gripped by fear and grief, are calling for urgent government intervention and a permanent security presence to curb further bloodshed.
“We can’t sleep anymore. We need help. We’re tired of burying our people,” said a youth leader in the community.
The latest attack adds to the growing list of violent incidents plaguing rural Plateau communities, where clashes between armed groups and civilians have led to recurrent loss of life and displacement.
