A widow in Plateau State has narrated her painful ordeal after suspected armed bandits attacked her community, killing her husband and brutally assaulting her teenage daughter in the Bwai District of Mangu Local Government Area.
The grieving mother, who spoke through tears on Tuesday, recounted how the attackers invaded her home late at night, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction. According to her, the heavily armed men, believed to be Fulani bandits, stormed the community around midnight, moving from house to house and attacking residents.
“They came in large numbers, over a hundred of them,” she said. “They were shooting and setting houses on fire. They killed people and our livestock. When they got to our home, they asked where my husband was. It was clear they came specifically for him.”
“They killed my husband before my eyes”
The widow explained that her husband, John, had served as one of the community’s vigilante leaders, helping to defend the area against constant attacks. When the bandits entered their house, they demanded to see him.
“At first, he ran to hide in the toilet,” she said. “But when they threatened to harm me and our daughter, he came out and begged them to spare us. He said they could take his life instead.”
The attackers, according to her, accused him of forming a vigilante group to resist their operations. One of the gunmen, described as a teenager, was ordered by their leader to shoot him.
“They said, ‘Today will be your end.’ Then the boy shot him immediately. My husband fell dead right before us,” she recalled, her voice breaking.
“I begged for mercy, they turned to my daughter”
After killing her husband, the widow said the bandits turned their attention to her and her 13-year-old daughter. Despite her desperate pleas, the assailants subjected the young girl to sexual violence.
“I begged them to spare my daughter,” she said. “I even offered myself instead, but they refused. They said I was too old. They did terrible things to her while I was forced to watch. If I turned away, they hit me and threatened to shoot me.”
The traumatic experience, which lasted for more than an hour, left the girl severely injured and psychologically shattered. The mother said her daughter has since been withdrawn and unable to function normally.
“She hardly talks anymore,” the widow said quietly. “She can no longer sleep well. Sometimes, she wets herself. I am afraid for her life. She needs medical and mental help.”
Community in shock, calls for justice
Residents of Bwai District described the incident as one of the most horrific attacks in recent months. Several houses were reportedly burnt, and dozens of livestock killed or stolen.
Community leaders have appealed to security agencies to intensify patrols in the area and bring the perpetrators to justice. “We are living in fear every day,” said one local elder. “The government must act quickly before our entire community is wiped out.”
Plateau State has been one of the worst-hit areas by recurring attacks from armed groups in north-central Nigeria. Communities in Mangu, Bokkos, and Barkin Ladi have suffered numerous assaults resulting in deaths, displacement, and widespread destruction of property.
Security analysts have repeatedly called on both the federal and state governments to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve response times, and address the underlying causes of the violence, including land disputes and ethnic tensions.
Calls for government and NGO support
The widow appealed to the Plateau State government, humanitarian organisations, and civil society groups to come to her aid. “I have no husband, no means of survival, and my daughter is in pain. I just want help for her. She did not deserve this,” she said.
At the time of filing this report, the Plateau State Police Command had not released an official statement on the incident. However, security operatives have reportedly been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks and maintain order
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