By Palang Paul
At least 13 people were killed and several others were injured in separate attacks across Mangu, Riyom and Jos South Local Government Areas of Plateau State Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
The attacks occurred From Friday 11th September to Sunday 13th September 2026, including passengers reportedly attacked while travelling to Jos the Plateau State Capital.
The attacks left communities mourning, with residents reporting deaths, gunshot injuries and destruction of homes, farmlands and crops.
The deadliest incident occurred at Dungus Junction in Kuru, Jos South LGA, on Sunday night of 13th September 2026 when terrorists suspected to be Fulani Militias reportedly opened fire on a vehicle carrying passengers to Jos.
Spokesman of the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM) Rwang Tengwong,confirmed the attack, saying it occurred at about 9:40 p.m.
According to Tengwong, the victims were passengers travelling to Jos when the attackers opened fire on their vehicle.
He said some victims were killed during the attack, while others sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to hospitals.
“Among those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow. It is a very sad development and we lament the loss of lives,” Tengwong said.
A resident, Musa Dauda, also confirmed the attack, saying some injured passengers later died while receiving treatment.
Dauda said some of the injured victims remained in hospital.
The Plateau State Government on Monday condemned the attacks in Mangu and the reported incident at Dungus Junction, describing the developments as deeply disturbing.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Rt. Hon. Joyce Lohya Ramnap, mni, the government said it had received with “grave concern” reports of the loss of lives and injuries.
The government said it had continued to work with security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders to strengthen the state’s security architecture through dialogue, intelligence sharing and community engagement.
In Mangu LGA, suspected terrorists reportedly attacked Vodni in Pushit District during the night, killing two people.
Four others sustained gunshot injuries and were receiving treatment at a hospital in Mangu town.
The attack followed other reported incidents in Mangu during the weekend.
On Friday, September 11, a young farmer identified as Finok Gumut was reportedly killed on his farm in Kikyau village.
Reports alleged that the attackers beheaded Gumut and took away his head. He was subsequently buried without it.
Alohom and Ntul communities in Mangu were also reportedly attacked, with four people said to have been killed, two in each community.
On Saturday, September 12, suspected attackers reportedly invaded Fang village in Bachi District of Riyom LGA.
A resident, Iliya Musa Gyang, was reportedly killed during the attack, while homes were allegedly set ablaze.
Farmlands and crops were also reportedly destroyed before the attackers fled.
Two other people were reportedly killed at Tahoos in Riyom in a separate attack around the same period.
In a separate development, Ibrahim Babayo, Chairman of the Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), alleged that three Fulani herders and about 50 cattle were killed in Aloghom community, Mangu.
Babayo, in a statement on Sunday, accused local armed groups he referred to as “Mangu Militias” of attacking the herders while they were grazing.
He identified the deceased as Garzali Shaibu, 18; Bashiru Yakubu, 14; and Salim Abubakar, 15.
According to Babayo, the herders were tending their cattle in a grazing area and had not entered any farmland when gunmen allegedly opened fire on them.
The allegation could not be independently verified.
The Plateau State Government urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible and timely information to security agencies to help prevent attacks and apprehend perpetrators.
It also appealed to citizens to avoid reprisal attacks, warning that such actions could escalate violence and undermine peace-building efforts.
Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang’s administration, the government said, remains committed to protecting lives and property and creating an environment where citizens can live, farm, travel, invest and pursue their livelihoods without fear.
The government commiserated with the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
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