•Tinubu and bandits
Less than 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu visited Plateau State on April 3, 2026, and assured residents that recurring killings in the state would not happen again, a fresh wave of attacks began to unfold across several communities, leaving scores dead and many others injured.
An analysis of reported incidents following the presidential visit shows that Plateau recorded at least 14 separate attacks with no less than 50 casualties, clashes or major security incidents between April 3 and May 10, spanning Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bassa, Mangu and Jos South local government areas.
Tinubu had visited Plateau after deadly attacks in parts of Bokkos and surrounding communities that sparked national outrage and renewed concerns over insecurity in the North-Central state, reports Daily Trust.
During the visit, the president promised that the federal government would work towards restoring lasting peace to the state.
Addressing community leaders and victims, Tinubu expressed sympathy over the killings and acknowledged that no compensation could truly replace lives lost in the attacks.
“There is nothing I can give you, whether in billions, that can replace the lives lost. But we will do everything possible to ensure that such tragedy does not happen again,” the President said.
However, violence has continued in the weeks that followed.
On the same day as the presidential visit, April 3, at least three persons were reportedly shot dead in Nyango Gyel community of Jos South Local Government Area.
Three days later, on April 6, reports indicated that security forces repelled an attack on Pwomol village in Heipang District of Barkin Ladi LGA. But barely 24 hours later, another assault on the same community reportedly left three youths dead and one injured after gunmen attacked the village at night.
Security tensions escalated further on April 18 when troops reportedly arrested nine suspected militia members following renewed clashes in parts of Plateau.
On April 20, coordinated attacks were reported in Kpasho, Hurum Gashish and Shonong Bachi communities located across Bassa, Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs. Reports said several persons were killed or injured during the assaults.
Another deadly incident was reported on April 26 in Riyom LGA, where a pastor, his wife and their two children were allegedly killed in the Rim community.
By April 30, local reports referenced another ambush along the Aloghom–Yilpo road in Mangu LGA, where a youth miner was reportedly killed while two others sustained injuries.
The attacks intensified in May
On May 4, reports claimed that no fewer than nine persons, including a soldier, were killed in separate attacks across Mangu, Bassa and Barkin Ladi local government areas.
A day later, gunmen reportedly attacked Nding Susut community in Barkin Ladi, killing six persons, including a family of five.
On May 6, mourners returning from a burial ceremony in Rim community of Riyom LGA were reportedly ambushed by gunmen, further heightening fears among residents already grappling with repeated attacks.
Fresh violence again erupted between May 8 and 9 in Bassa and Riyom LGAs. Reports indicated that between 12 and 13 persons, including three pregnant women, were killed in attacks on Ngbra Zongo community in Kwall District and Gwa Rim village.
The latest reported incidents occurred on May 10 when coordinated attacks reportedly hit Sabon Layi, Rakung and Gangare communities in Barkin Ladi LGA, leaving at least 7 persons dead, including a police officer.
Also, on May 10, gunmen invaded Furyam Takzul community in Kantana Ward of Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing two people and abducting five others, including women and children.
The repeated attacks have renewed concerns over the worsening security situation in Plateau despite federal assurances and increased security deployments.
Presidential Intervention
Two weeks ago, the president hosted a 32-member delegation from Plateau at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
At the meeting which had Governor Mutfwang, former governors, traditional rulers and political leaders in attendance, discussions focused on addressing the root causes of violence such as indigene-settler tensions, religion, ethnicity and farmer-herder conflicts.
“No protocols, no hindrances, we are here to speak our minds and find a permanent solution to a recurring conflict and chaos. I have heard the leaders. Everybody here is seeking peace. How do we chart our path to that peace?”
“Let us first of all accept one resolution – tolerance for every inhabitant. If people are being recruited to provoke anger, conflict and killings, it is you, the leaders, that should first of all examine yourselves,” Tinubu said.
He underscored the need for leaders to champion a concerted effort to achieve enduring peace in the state, given that Plateau State was known for peace and for its receptiveness to other tribes across the nation.
“We all must find a way to accommodate one another. We must stop the situation where people are recruited to instigate tribal conflict and killings. I am glad that I listened to the youth,” he added.
He also called on the state government to identify and name agent provocateurs so they can face the full wrath of the law.
The president urged the governor to draw on the pool of enlightened leaders available to him across all spheres of life to foster harmony in the state.
But shortly after the meeting, the killing spree continued.
For decades, Plateau has remained one of Nigeria’s major flashpoints for recurring communal and armed violence, often linked to disputes over land, grazing routes, ethnicity and religion. Communities in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bassa, Bokkos and Mangu have repeatedly suffered deadly attacks, displacement and destruction of property.
Civil society groups and community leaders have repeatedly called for stronger intelligence gathering, improved security presence and prosecution of perpetrators, warning that the cycle of violence continues largely because attackers are rarely brought to justice.
