Wednesday July 16, 2025
By TheNewsDESK |
At least 20 people were killed late Monday night, July 14, when gunmen launched a brutal house-to-house attack in Bindi village, Ta-Hoss District of Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State, Channels NEWS reported.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the village while most residents were asleep. Women, children, and the elderly were among the victims, many of whom were unable to escape the sudden violence. Survivors described the assailants as heavily armed and merciless.
Senator Pam Dachungyang, who represents Plateau North, condemned the killings and described the ongoing crisis as a “war situation.”
“This cycle of daily, unprovoked attacks is an indictment on all of us. The situation in Bindi (Jebu) last night is beyond tragic and stands to be condemned by all.
“These are people whose primary occupation is farming, and the continued violence is not only destroying lives but also threatening food security and livelihoods,” he said in a statement issued through his Special Adviser on Media, Eric Dung.
The Senator revealed that he had reached out to the National Assembly’s leadership, urging for a more coordinated military response to flush out those responsible.
Furthermore, he also called for an urgent overhaul of the state’s security system, especially the Special Task Force (STF) deployed for peacekeeping.
The Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), Riyom Chapter, also decried the attack in a statement signed by Chairman Gideon Manjal and Publicity Secretary Gadu Dong.
The group described the killings as part of a pattern to displace indigenous people and seize their lands.
“This assault occurred despite the visible presence of security forces in and around the area, including armored military assets.
“The identities and hideouts of these attackers are known to authorities, yet no meaningful action has been taken to dismantle them,” the statement read.
COPDEM accused both federal and state authorities of negligence, citing repeated attacks on Ta-Hoss, Jol, Rim, and Bachi villages without protection or justice.
Consequently, the group urged President Bola Tinubu and Governor Caleb Mutfwang to authorise a full-scale military operation in Plateau’s hotspots.
They also called for emergency relief, trauma support, and reconstruction efforts to aid affected residents.
