A fresh wave of violence has rocked Plateau State as gunmen ambushed security operatives in the Chwelnyap Rim community of Riyom Local Government Area, killing a police inspector and seizing his rifle.
The victim, identified as Inspector Yakubu Dauda, was reportedly gunned down during an operation on Monday.
His death marks another grim chapter in the spate of armed attacks plaguing rural communities in the state.
Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer of Riyom LGA, David Tsado, said the officers were responding to a distress call when they were ambushed by a heavily armed group of assailants.
“Our men were on the ground following reports of security threats in the community, not knowing that gunmen had already laid an ambush,” Tsado told journalists during a visit by a government fact-finding delegation.
“They opened fire on our team, and Inspector Yakubu Dauda was killed in the process. His rifle was taken, and his corpse has been deposited in the hospital.”
Tsado disclosed that despite reinforcements deployed to the area by the Commissioner of Police, security operatives were forced to withdraw after a fierce gun battle with the attackers.
“It was a heavy exchange. At some point, we had to retreat to avoid more casualties,” he said.
The attack occurred just as a fact-finding committee, constituted by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, visited the troubled area to unravel the root causes of ongoing violence.
Chairman of the committee, Major General Nicholas Rogers (retd.), described the situation as dire, stressing that urgent and coordinated action was needed to stem the tide of insecurity.
“This is a very bad situation. We’re here to find out what went wrong and consult stakeholders on possible solutions,” Rogers stated.
Community and youth leaders who briefed the committee said the attack was one of many incidents in recent weeks.
They claimed that no fewer than nine persons had been killed and 33 houses razed in multiple raids across villages in the local government area within the last month.
They expressed hope that the state government’s intervention through the fact-finding committee would pave the way for lasting peace and prevent further bloodshed.
Plateau State has witnessed persistent ethno-religious and land-related violence over the years, with Riyom and other communities in the state’s central and northern zones often bearing the brunt of these attacks.
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