Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Tragedy struck Kedawa village, a community in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, when suspected Fulani bandits launched a deadly attack on an illegal mining site, killing two miners and leaving one injured but alive. The incident, which occurred around 1:30 p.m., has once again highlighted the persistent insecurity in the "Home of Peace and Tourism," where clashes over illegal mining sites have become increasingly frequent.
According to security expert Zagazola Makama, troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) were alerted to the attack and rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, personnel discovered the lifeless bodies of two victims: Napan Danjuma and a man identified only as Leba. The assailants had already fled the area. However, the military operation proved partially successful, as troops managed to rescue another miner, Anthony Daniel, from the site alive.
In a move to dismantle the criminal network, troops arrested a suspect identified as Daniel Nathaniel, 42, who allegedly played a direct role in the tragedy. Security sources told Zagazola Makama that Nathaniel had reportedly invited the illegal miners to operate at the closed mining site, ultimately leading them into harm's way. He was immediately handed over to the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Mobile Police Force in NTV for further interrogation and prosecution.
The attack is part of a troubling surge in violence in Barkin Ladi, a region rich in mineral deposits but plagued by conflict. Just a day earlier, on May 10, suspected Fulani gunmen attacked the Chenhen and Dum villages in the Bachi District of Riyom LGA. That assault came just hours after nine cows were killed in an unrelated attack by Berom militia in the Gero area, highlighting the vicious cycle of reprisals suspected to have triggered the latest bloodshed.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who was already in the region on Tuesday to commiserate with other communities devastated by a separate wave of attacks, responded to the escalating violence by imposing a blanket ban on night mining, night grazing, and underage grazing across the state. While the ban is intended to give security forces more control over the terrain during darkness, it also acknowledges that illegal mining operations are a primary trigger for the brutal competition for resources.
The military authorities have stated that efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing assailants and prevent further criminal activities. For the families of the deceased miners, the future remains uncertain, as the lure of mining wealth continues to expose desperate prospectors to grave danger. As the injured victim recovers from the trauma of the attack, the people of Barkin Ladi are left to wonder whether the government’s latest security measures can truly end the deadly occupation of their mines.
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