Two Farmers Killed, Mourners Attacked in Plateau Ambush

Tension flared once again in Plateau State as two farmers were killed in an ambush along the Ganawuri–Tahoss road in Riyom Local Government Area. The victims were reportedly attacked while returning from the Ganawuri market around 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Secretary General of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association (BYM), Bature Iliya Adazaram, confirmed the incident on Thursday, describing it as a targeted assault on local residents. According to Adazaram, the victims were ambushed by unknown gunmen, leading to yet another episode of bloodshed in the troubled region.

As grief-stricken mourners gathered on Thursday to bury the deceased in Gwon village, tragedy nearly struck again. BYM reported that the funeral procession came under a fresh assault when gunmen, allegedly in the hundreds, attacked the burial ground.

The group praised the swift intervention of personnel from Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), who repelled the attackers before any further loss of life could occur.

“While hundreds gathered at the graveside… the attackers stormed the area, forcing mourners to flee. Security forces from OPSH Sector 6 quickly responded and prevented what could have been a second massacre,” the BYM Secretary stated.

The association accused Fulani herders of orchestrating both attacks—an allegation that has become increasingly common in Plateau’s recurring cycle of farmer-herder violence.

However, the local Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Bello Adamu, denied the claims, calling them baseless and inflammatory.

This fresh incident adds to the growing catalogue of violence in Plateau’s rural communities, where ethnic and agrarian tensions continue to simmer with deadly consequences. Authorities are yet to release an official investigation report, but OPSH has been tasked with maintaining calm in the area.

“We are not a party to any attack in the said area. We have not attacked any mourners. It’s not the first time they would accuse Fulani of attacks in their community. Anytime they have problems within themselves or some criminal elements block the road, they attack us. We didn’t do anything,” the MACBAN chairman said.