By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Plateau State government has expressed frustration over the failure of the Nigerian military to respond effectively to a deadly attack in the Bindi (Jebu) village, Tahoss District of Riyom Local Government Area, where over 20 villagers were killed on last Tuesday.
The attack, which allegedly occurred just 200 meters from a military checkpoint, has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for accountability in security operations across the State.
In an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, and on TVC both done on Friday, the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, laid bare the government’s disappointment at what it alluded to as the military’s inability, or unwillingness to act, despite their strategic location near the scene of the killings.
“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 any confrontation,” Ramnap said.
The attack, allegedly carried out by armed herders, left a trail of devastation as homes were razed, farmlands destroyed, and entire families wiped out.
While local resistance reportedly held off one group of attackers, another group infiltrated the area near a church where residents had taken refuge, resulting in the highest number of casualties.
Ramnap emphasized that the community expected help that never came saying, “If you are that close and you engaged them closely like that, you should be able to identify the route they used to escape and implement measures to intercept them. But so far, no arrests have been made.”
The Commissioner confirmed that Governor Caleb Mutfwang had called for immediate investigations and demanded at least some arrests be made to send a strong message that such impunity would not be tolerated.
“We are not here to generalize or accuse the entire Nigerian Army. We recognize that there are gallant officers, even within Plateau State, doing their best. But clearly, there are some bad eggs whose actions, or inaction are costing innocent lives,” she noted.
She further revealed that the attackers approached the village from three directions. “One of the groups was repelled by local resistance. Unfortunately, the group that reached the area near the church where villagers were hiding inflicted the most damage,” she explained.
Ramnap shared the story of a local pastor who, fearing for his life, fled his home stating, “The pastor said he could not wait to be slaughtered. He left, his wife followed him, and in his own house, six people were killed.”
The Plateau State Government has called the attack unprovoked and despicable, pointing out that beyond the killings, the attackers also set farmlands ablaze, further deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The Commissioner echoed Governor Mutfwang’s description of the recurring attacks as a form of genocide against indigenous communities in Plateau.
“This is not just about property or politics. Lives are being lost regularly, and entire communities are being displaced. We can’t afford to downplay this anymore,” Ramnap stressed.
While the military is yet to publicly respond to the allegations, the incident has intensified public scrutiny of the country’s security architecture and raised concerns about military presence in conflict-prone zones.
Communities across Plateau are calling for a more proactive and transparent security response to stem the tide of violence.
As the grieving families of Bindi bury their loved ones, they are also burying hope in a system they believe has failed them. For many, justice now feels like a distant dream, unless tangible action is taken by those tasked with defending them.
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