At least 20 dead in attacks on Binper community in Plateau State

Gunmen armed with rifles and machetes attacked the Binper community in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State between Monday night and Tuesday morning. Residents reported that attackers moved from house to house, killing people in their sleep. One resident reported over 20 deaths, while others cited a death toll of at least 24. Several people were injured and some remain missing.

A local Red Cross agent confirmed the incident occurred, though a specific number of victims was not provided. The Plateau State Police Command did not provide a comment; one source reported that the spokesperson disconnected the call, while another stated the police did not respond to requests for comment.

The region has seen a series of recent violent incidents, including the killing of a former councillor in Riyom and an ambush of a joint security patrol that left two security operatives dead. The center-left source frames these events as part of a long standing and deadly competition for land and resources between Muslim nomadic herders and sedentary Christian farmers, exacerbated by climate change and radical preaching. The center source frames the event as a failure of security agencies to protect rural communities, noting that the attack occurred shortly after a new commissioner of police assumed office and pledged to prioritize crime prevention.