Tension has once again gripped parts of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State after gunmen attacked a group of youths returning from a security meeting on Wednesday evening, killing two and injuring six others.
The incident reportedly occurred around 7:30 p.m. along the Barkin Ladi–Dorowa Babuje road, an area that has witnessed relative calm in recent months after years of recurring violence.
According to reports, the victims mostly community youth leaders were returning from a meeting at the Sector Four Command of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) when they were ambushed by heavily armed men.
Confirming the attack, National President of the Berom Youths Moulders Association (BYM), Solomon Dalyop, described the killings as senseless and unprovoked, expressing sadness that such violence continues to plague the region despite ongoing peace efforts.
“Two of our people were killed on Wednesday evening when they were going home after attending a security meeting called by the Sector Four Commander,” Dalyop said.
“They were ambushed along the Barkin Ladi–Dorowa Babuje road and killed. That same evening, the attackers also struck in two nearby villages, killing one person around 7 p.m.”
He added that the attackers may have exploited a recent local dispute to justify the assault, referencing allegations made earlier by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) that a herder and several cows were killed by youths in the area.
Dalyop, however, urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate both the claims and the attacks, warning against retaliatory violence.
“They always come up with such allegations when they want to attack,” he alleged. “Even if something happened, shouldn’t security agents investigate first? From what we gathered, some people who attended the security meeting might have informed the attackers about the victims’ route home. They blocked the road, killed two, injured six, and two others narrowly escaped.”
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the Barkin Ladi General Hospital morgue, while those injured are receiving treatment at a nearby medical facility.
Community members say the attack has renewed fear and tension in Barkin Ladi, an area long affected by cycles of violence often linked to land disputes, communal clashes, and reprisal attacks between farming and herding groups.
Local leaders have appealed to the Plateau State Government and security agencies to increase patrols and ensure justice for the victims, warning that unchecked violence could derail ongoing peace initiatives in the state.
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