There is widespread outrage in Plateau State following the killing of over 20 residents in Bindi (Jebu) village, Tahoss District of Riyom Local Government Area, just 200 meters from a military checkpoint.
The Plateau State Government, expressing deep frustration, has condemned what it described as a shocking failure by military personnel to respond to the deadly attack, which occurred last Tuesday and was allegedly carried out by armed herders.
State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, speaking on Channels Television and TVC on Friday, accused the military of failing to act despite their proximity to the village.
“This is not a hidden community that we would say is inaccessible. The checkpoint is barely 200 meters from where the incident happened. It is baffling that such an atrocity could be carried out without a single arrest or confrontation,” Ramnap said.
According to local accounts, the assailants attacked from three directions. While one group was repelled by villagers, another broke through near a church where people had taken refuge, resulting in the highest number of casualties. Homes were set ablaze, farmlands destroyed, and entire families decimated.
Ramnap stated that Governor Caleb Mutfwang has ordered an immediate investigation and demanded arrests to signal zero tolerance for impunity.
“If you are that close and you engage closely, you should be able to identify the route they used and intercept them. But no arrest has been made so far,” she said.
She clarified that the government was not accusing the entire Nigerian Army, but insisted that some personnel’s inaction continues to cost innocent lives.
“There are gallant officers doing their best, even here in Plateau. But there are also bad eggs whose silence or negligence is enabling violence,” she added.
One chilling account shared involved a local pastor who fled his home, sensing danger. Moments after he left, six people were reportedly killed in his house.
The state government described the attack as “unprovoked and despicable,” warning that the violence amounts to a genocide against indigenous Plateau communities.
“This is not about land or politics. These are deliberate killings. Entire communities are being wiped out,” Ramnap stressed.
So far, the military has not officially responded to the state government’s concerns. However, the incident has reignited public criticism of Nigeria’s security architecture, especially the efficiency and responsiveness of deployed troops in volatile regions.
Grieving families continue to bury their dead, many voicing disappointment and despair over what they describe as a failed system that has abandoned them.
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