Gunmen armed with machetes attacked a village in Nigeria’s central Plateau state overnight, killing at least 25 people in the latest episode of deadly violence between farming communities and herders in the troubled Middle Belt region.
The attack on the Bin-Per community in Mangu Local Government Area occurred between Monday night and early hours of Tuesday, August 19, with assailants moving from house to house while residents slept, according to Vanguard News. Lemun Le’an Iliya, a councillor representing the area, confirmed 23 people were killed in the initial assault, with another victim dying in hospital and a further fatality raising the toll to at least 25.
Attackers Moved House to House
Residents described the attackers as heavily armed and systematic in their assault. “As of this morning, we have confirmed over 24 deaths, while several others sustained serious injuries and some people are still missing,” said eyewitness Daniel Musa. Resident John Dalyop described the situation as “terrible” and condemned the attack as barbaric, urging the state and federal governments to urgently strengthen security around vulnerable communities in Mangu and other parts of Plateau state.
The Mwaghavul Youth Movement confirmed the attack, stating that homes were set ablaze and crops destroyed alongside the killings. Plateau police spokesperson Alfred Alabo told Reuters that officers were deploying to the area and would issue a statement after assessing the situation. A 48-hour curfew was subsequently imposed on the area.
Women and Children Among Victims
According to Reuters, the attackers moved from house to house, killing residents with machetes, with women and children accounting for most of the victims. The incident highlights persistent insecurity in Plateau state, where tensions between farming communities and herders often spiral into retaliatory violence, leaving people dead, displaced, and homeless.
“The attack highlights the ongoing insecurity in Plateau State, where tensions between farming communities and herders often escalate into retaliatory violence, resulting in casualties, displacement, and homelessness.”
US Congressional Pressure on Nigeria Designation
The attack drew attention from Washington, where US Congressman Riley Moore urged the State Department not to lift Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom violations. Nigeria was first designated a CPC in December 2020 under the first Trump administration, but the Biden administration removed it from the list in November 2021.
Plateau state, in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, has long been plagued by violence linked to disputes over land, grazing rights, and resources, often compounded by ethnic and religious divisions. The region sits at the crossroads of Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north and Christian south, making it a flashpoint for communal tensions that have claimed thousands of lives over the past two decades.
The latest attack comes as Nigeria grapples with a surge in mass kidnappings and insecurity nationwide, with President Bola Tinubu facing growing criticism ahead of upcoming elections. The African Democratic Congress described the violence as part of a broader pattern of attacks that the government has failed to contain.
Sources: Reuters; Vanguard News; Anadolu Agency; Africa Center for Strategic Studies
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