Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Suspected gunmen have ambushed and killed two farmers in the Takkas community, located in the Fier Ward of Pankshin Local Government Area, Plateau State, in attacks that occurred on two separate days. The violence, which has heightened fears among local residents, took place while the victims were working on their farms. The first victim was killed on Sunday, July 19, 2026, while the second was murdered the following evening, Monday, July 20, 2026. The attackers are believed to have laid an ambush for the victims. According to the member representing Pankshin North Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dewan Gabriel, who confirmed the incident, the body of one of the victims was deposited at the General Hospital in Pankshin, while the other was taken to a Christian hospital in the area.
The latest killings have sparked significant anxiety within the community. Many residents have expressed deep fear over returning to their farms, a concern that comes at the peak of the farming season. The attacks threaten to disrupt agricultural activities and food production in the region.
Lawmaker Dewan Gabriel has strongly condemned the killings, describing them as "barbaric, senseless and unacceptable". He called on security agencies to intensify efforts to identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible for the attacks. "I received with deep shock and sadness the heartbreaking news of the attack on Takkas Community in Fier Ward, Pankshin Local Government Area, which claimed the lives of innocent people and left many families in grief," he said in a statement. He also pledged to work with security agencies to ensure a thorough investigation and prevent a recurrence. The lawmaker urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and to cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could assist ongoing investigations. As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain a reaction from security agencies were unsuccessful.
The attack on Takkas community is the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting farmers and herders in Plateau State. Just weeks earlier, on July 4, gunmen attacked farmers in Rinyan village, Riyom LGA, killing one woman and injuring another. In another incident on July 5, three herders were killed and two others injured in a suspected ambush in the Tanjol community of Riyom LGA. These recurring attacks have forced farmers off their fields at the height of the rainy season, raising fears of a potential food crisis. The violence has also led to protests, with residents of Gero community in Jos South taking to the streets to demand action following the killing of two women by suspected gunmen on July 20.
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