Nine family members slain in fresh Plateau night attack

Nine members of a family were killed and one person critically injured after armed bandits and terrorists attacked Wereng-Camp and Kum villages in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State late Saturday night.

The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM), in a statement signed by Rwang Tengwong, its National Publicity Secretary and made available to Journalists on Sunday in Jos said the attack began at about 11:00 p.m. on Saturday and lasted for more than an hour into the early hours of Sunday, alleging that the assailants came from the Fass area, described as a terrorist enclave around Jol Community.

“The attack claimed the lives of nine members of a single family, while Pam Yohanna, 40, sustained life-threatening injuries and is currently battling for his life after the coordinated assault,” the statement said.

“It is another painful reminder of the recurring attacks that continue to claim innocent lives across Plateau State and other parts of North-Central Nigeria, with entire families wiped out, villages invaded, homes destroyed and thousands displaced,” the association added.

The victims were identified as Celina James, 38; Yohanna James, 21; Janet Yohanna, 18; Baby Jennifer Yohanna, three months; Sele James, 18; Melody James, 16; Reto James, 10; Endurance James, 8; and Peace James, 3.

Related News

BYM expressed concern over what it described as a sustained pattern of attacks targeting predominantly Christian farming communities, saying the frequency of the violence, rising civilian casualties and destruction of homes and livelihoods require urgent action by security agencies.

The association called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable communities, dismantle criminal hideouts, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attacks, and provide humanitarian assistance to victims and displaced persons.

It also appealed to the international community, including the United Nations, the United States, the African Union, the European Union, ECOWAS, international human rights organisations, faith-based institutions and diplomatic missions, to pay closer attention to the worsening humanitarian and security situation in North-Central Nigeria.

According to the statement, there is an urgent need for independent monitoring and investigation of the recurring attacks, increased humanitarian support for affected communities and sustained engagement with Nigerian authorities to ensure the protection of civilians and accountability for perpetrators.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Plateau State Police Command were unsuccessful, as Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer was not available for comments at the time of filing this report.

Nathaniel Gbaoron

Nathaniel E. Gbaoron is the Plateau State correspondent for BusinessDay and a seasoned journalist with a decade of experience covering sub-national affairs across Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, and other states. He holds both National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication from Fidel Polytechnic, Gboko. Over the years, he has participated in numerous media trainings and workshops spanning various areas of reporting, strengthening his expertise in economic and political reporting, community-level governance, development stories, and conflict-sensitive journalism. He is a member of Correspondent Chapel in Plateau state, a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), he is also a Rotarian and a member of Plateau Club 1921.