Gunmen kill ECWA pastor, wife, two children in fresh Plateau attack

Gunmen have killed Ayuba Choji, a pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), alongside his wife and two children in Gako village, Rim Ward of Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State.

The victims, identified as Choji, his wife Chundung Ayuba, and their children Cyril Ayuba and Endurance Ayuba, were reportedly attacked late Sunday night when assailants stormed the community, shooting sporadically and forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes.

“We are living in fear every day because these attacks have become too frequent. People can no longer sleep in their homes, and going to the farms has become a dangerous risk”; a resident who pleaded annonymity said.

“This is not just an attack on one family but on the entire community. Our livelihoods are being destroyed, and many families are already struggling to survive”; she added.

Confirming the incident on Monday to BusinessDay in Jos, Rwang Tenwong, the publicity secretary of the Berom Youths Moulder Association said the attackers operated in coordinated groups during such raids.

According to Tengwong, while one group engages residents directly, others focus on destroying farmlands or blocking escape routes, making it difficult for victims to flee or receive help during the attacks.

He further disclosed that within the past 48 hours, large portions of farmland, including maize, cabbage and hot pepper crops, were destroyed in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, a development he warned could worsen food insecurity in the area.

Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Command, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report, as his phone lines were not going through.

BusinessDay reports that Plateau State has continued to experience sustained waves of violent attacks and killings over the years. The most recent major incident was the killing of over 28 persons in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area, during a Palm Sunday night attack.

Since then, the state has witnessed recurring and near-daily reports of killings and assaults in several rural communities, deepening fear and insecurity among residents.