At least 25 people, mostly women and children, were killed when armed men attacked the village of Bin-Per in Nigeria’s Plateau State, in the latest deadly incident in the region’s long-running cycle of retaliatory violence.
The attack occurred between midnight on Monday and the early hours of Tuesday, August 18, in Binper community in the Mangu Local Government Area. Heavily armed assailants moved from house to house, forcing open doors and attacking residents while they slept.
An eyewitness, Daniel Musa, described the carnage: “Our village came under attack last night and in the early hours of today by heavily armed persons. They were moving from house to house, opening the doors of people who were sleeping and slaughtering them. As of this morning, we have confirmed over 25 deaths, while several others sustained serious injuries and some people are still missing.”
Series of Attacks Fuels Tensions
The killings follow a pattern of escalating violence in Plateau State, where clashes between mainly Christian farmers and Fulani herders over land and water resources have claimed thousands of lives. Community groups and local officials have accused authorities of failing to adequately protect residents despite repeated promises of improved security.
Amnesty International estimated that at least 2,630 people were killed in Plateau State between 2023 and May 2025, underscoring the scale of a crisis that has persisted for years with little sign of abating. On July 15, Fulani militants carried out a massacre in a Christian village in Riyom, killing 27 people in a single incident.
Women from the Bin-Per community staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday over the killing of their relatives, demanding immediate government action. “We expected the new Commissioner of Police in the state to act quickly and go after those responsible,” said resident John Dalyop, who condemned the attack as barbaric.
Security Deployed, Investigation Underway
The Plateau State Police Command said it had beefed up security in Bin-Per and surrounding areas following the attack, with operatives deployed to restore calm and prevent further violence. Police vowed to arrest the perpetrators, though residents expressed skepticism about the ability of overstretched security forces to protect vulnerable rural communities.
The attack comes amid broader tensions over insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where the federal government has faced criticism from international observers, including US Senator Ted Cruz, over whether the violence constitutes genocide against Christians. The Nigerian government has rejected such characterizations, insisting the conflict is primarily driven by resource competition rather than religious motives.
Sources: Vanguard; Daily Trust; Premium Times; Amnesty International; allAfrica
discussion