Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Hundreds of residents in the rural communities of Zurak and Sabon Gari in the Bashar district of Wase Local Government Area in Plateau State, Nigeria, have been forced from their homes following a wave of violent attacks by armed bandits that has exacerbated an already precarious security situation in the region. The latest incidents, which began on Monday when suspected gunmen on motorcycles launched coordinated assaults on both villages, have left at least five civilians and one Nigerian Army soldier dead, with three soldiers unaccounted for and ongoing displacement among those who survived. The attacks have further strained security efforts and deepened fears of renewed instability in a part of central Nigeria long plagued by banditry, kidnappings and rural insecurity.
Eyewitness accounts and community sources describe a coordinated offensive in the late afternoon, when armed assailants arrived in large numbers and first targeted security outposts within Sabon Gari before moving into residential areas. Within hours, homes and shops were set ablaze, food supplies and valuables looted, and residents driven into panic. Several survivors told reporters they fled into surrounding bushes and neighbouring settlements after hearing gunfire and seeing local defenders outmatched. “They came in droves, shooting sporadically and overwhelming the small checkpoint,” one local youth leader said. “People grabbed whatever they could and ran for their lives.”
In Zurak, the attackers engaged troops stationed in the community, killing a soldier and several civilians in the ensuing gun battle. Military sources reported that three soldiers who responded during the counter‑engagement are currently missing, heightening concerns among both security officials and the displaced families. Some residents say they have not heard from relatives who stayed behind to defend property or help repel the armed group, and fear they may have been abducted or killed. Local volunteers and community leaders have expressed deep frustration at the endurance of such attacks despite periodic military patrols and previous engagements aimed at preventing such incursions.
The aftermath of the violence has been chaotic. An estimated 300 to 400 people have fled their ancestral lands in search of safety, leaving behind crops, livestock and livelihoods that many rural families depend on for survival. Women, children and the elderly are among those now displaced, seeking refuge with relatives or in neighbouring villages that have so far been spared direct attack. Local humanitarian observers warn that prolonged displacement could worsen food insecurity, interrupt schooling for children, and strain the limited resources of host communities.
The latest attacks have reignited discussions about the persistence of banditry in Plateau State, an area historically affected by a mix of criminal factions, pastoralist militias and loosely organized armed groups. Analysts note that insecurity in Wase LGA and surrounding areas has been on the rise for months, with repeated incidents of kidnapping, cattle rustling, property destruction and ambushes. In December 2025, for example, 28 travellers were abducted near Zak community, another village in the same district, while returning from a religious celebration. That event itself highlighted the fragile security situation and the ability of armed groups to operate with relative impunity.
Plateau State authorities, military officials and traditional leaders have condemned the recent violence. Military commanders deployed to the region have stated publicly that efforts are ongoing to locate the missing soldiers and to secure the area to prevent further attacks. Security forces, including units of the Nigerian Army’s Operation Enduring Peace, have been active in Wase LGA and wider Plateau State in recent months, conducting patrols, intercepting bandit elements, and engaging armed groups based on intelligence. In January, troops reportedly foiled a planned assault on neighbouring communities, neutralizing several bandits in the process. Still, residents say the threat remains acute, with attackers frequently re‑emerging after military operations ease.
Local government officials and community representatives have called on both state and federal authorities to reinforce security presence in the area. Some have urged the establishment of permanent military outposts and regular patrol routes to deter future incursions, as well as the empowerment and training of local vigilante groups that have historically assisted in defending villages before the escalation of violence. Such measures, longtime observers argue, are crucial to restoring a sense of safety and enabling displaced families to consider returning home.
However, broader structural challenges complicate security efforts. Plateau State’s terrain, with its mix of remote farmlands, bush paths and porous borders with neighbouring states, can favour mobile armed groups who use motorcycles and small arms to conduct rapid strikes. Combined with limited infrastructure and resources for security forces, this has often left rural populations vulnerable to sudden outbreaks of violence. Additionally, longstanding inter‑communal tensions and competition over land and grazing rights further exacerbate instability in parts of central Nigeria.
Humanitarian concerns are mounting as displaced residents seek not only immediate safety but also access to essential services. Many are now without adequate shelter, clean water or food supplies, prompting appeals from local civil society organizations for coordinated relief efforts. Aid groups operating in central Nigeria note that displacement can have lingering impacts when not addressed promptly, including increased risk of disease, disruption to agricultural cycles and heightened psychosocial trauma among survivors who witnessed the violence firsthand.
With the situation evolving rapidly, analysts caution that further attacks remain possible unless concerted action is taken. The Nigerian government has faced criticism in the past for what some perceive as inadequate responses to rural insecurity, particularly in remote areas where state presence is minimal. As the displaced communities of Zurak and Sabon Gari regroup in safer locations, calls for sustainable security solutions and humanitarian assistance are gaining urgency. Meanwhile, family members of the missing soldiers and victims mourn their losses and await news as the broader community contends with the fear and uncertainty that have come to define everyday existence in parts of Plateau State.
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