27 Farmers Killed in Plateau: Soldiers Stationed 200 Metres Away Made No Arrests

The Plateau State Government has voiced strong concerns over the military’s failure to intervene during a deadly attack that left 27 farmers dead in Riyom Local Government Area. The attack occurred in the early hours of July 16 when gunmen stormed Bindi, a community in Riyom, killing residents, setting homes on fire, destroying farmlands, and wreaking havoc across eight settlements.

The state governor, Caleb Mutfwang, condemned the incident and called for a comprehensive overhaul of the security strategy in Plateau. He stressed that the attack followed intelligence warnings, yet no preventive action was taken. The governor urged security agencies to move beyond the excuse of “unknown gunmen” and start arresting those responsible for the violence.

Speaking on Channels Television’s *The Morning Brief* on Friday, Plateau’s Commissioner for Information, Joyce Ramnap, criticized the military’s response. She revealed that a military checkpoint was located just 200 meters from the site of the massacre, yet no intervention or arrests occurred. Ramnap emphasized that Bindi is not a remote area and help could have reached the community swiftly.

“The response we got was that none were arrested and none were captured,” she said. “Despite the proximity of the soldiers to the location, those who carried out the attack remain at large. It is not an obscure location—it is along a route with checkpoints.”

While she refrained from placing blanket blame on the military, Ramnap said the state government expects more accountability. “We do not want to stereotype and say the entire army compromised. However, there is room for further investigation, and the governor specifically said there should have been arrests,” she noted.

Ramnap added that engaging attackers at close range should have provided leads on their escape routes or enabled a trail to be followed. “We know we have gallant soldiers in Nigeria, many of whom are doing their best in Plateau, but there are still bad eggs among them,” she said.

She also shared harrowing details from the community, including the killing of six people who had taken refuge in a pastor’s home after fleeing an attack on a church. The commissioner warned that the security situation in Plateau remains alarming and called on the federal government to act decisively.

Plateau has suffered a string of violent attacks in recent months. In April, coordinated raids in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs claimed the lives of over 100 people, drawing widespread condemnation both within and outside the country.