By Fatima Mukhtar
Two people have been confirmed dead following an attack allegedly carried out by armed herders on Tuesday evening in the Rachi and Bachi districts of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
According to eyewitnesses, the assailants stormed the area at about 8:00 p.m., shooting sporadically and forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes. Local sources identified one of the victims as Mr. Dalyop Dangyang, a community youth leader, while the second victim’s identity has yet to be officially released.
AbC News reported that the community members described the attackers as suspected Fulani herders who have been involved in previous skirmishes over land and grazing rights. The incident is said to have caused tension in surrounding villages, with residents calling for urgent government intervention.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said,
“We were about to go to bed when we heard gunshots. By the time the shooting stopped, two people were already dead. We have reported to the authorities, but no security team has arrived yet.”
As of the time of filing this report, the Plateau State Police Command has not released an official statement regarding the attack. Calls to the command’s spokesperson went unanswered.
The renewed violence adds to a string of deadly clashes between farming communities and herders in Plateau’s Middle Belt region, a long-standing conflict driven by disputes over land, grazing routes, and resource control.
Human rights groups have called for proactive security measures and dialogue between the affected communities to prevent further loss of life.
Plateau State, located in Nigeria’s North-Central region, has witnessed recurring violence between farmers and herders for more than a decade. Analysts attribute the crisis to population pressure, competition for land, and ethnic mistrust. Despite several peace efforts by government and community leaders, attacks have continued intermittently across the region.
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