Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A wave of terror swept through Gwon‑Ajang village in Foron District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, on the night of Sunday, 31 May 2026, as heavily armed bandits, estimated by survivors to number over 100, invaded the community and opened fire indiscriminately, killing no fewer than eight people and leaving more than 15 others with gunshot wounds.
The attackers stormed the village at approximately 10:00 p.m., catching residents by surprise. According to a resident, Joseph Azi, who confirmed the attack to Reporters on Monday morning, the bandits were heavily armed and spoke in the Fulani language, shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they rampaged through the community.
“The people had already retired to their beds when the bandits invaded the village,” Azi said. “Immediately they entered the village, they started shooting while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and speaking the Fulani language all through. They operated for over two hours while the people made frantic calls to security agencies, but they did not come to their rescue.”
Other survivors told Leadership and Vanguard that the attackers specifically targeted a birthday celebration that was ongoing in the village. Bishop Iliya, a youth from the area, said the victims had gathered to celebrate the birthday of a community member when the gunmen stormed the venue and began shooting at everything in sight.
“The people were gathered for a birthday celebration when the gunmen arrived and started shooting at everything in sight. It is a painful and unfortunate situation for our community,” Iliya said.
The Berom Youths Moulder Association (BYM) confirmed the incident through its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong. In a statement on Monday, Tengwong said the attack was perpetrated by “terrorist gangs of Fulani” who struck at about 9:30 p.m. He added that at least eight persons were killed, while more than 10 others sustained severe injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment.
“The Special Task Force commander who is in charge of that axis said it even took him by surprise because most of the time, you will see a sign before an attack, but there was nothing like that before this incident,” Tengwong said.
The attack on Gwon‑Ajang is the latest in a long line of violent incidents that have turned Barkin Ladi into one of the most dangerous local government areas in Plateau State. The area has been repeatedly targeted by armed groups who strike at night, forcing farming communities to abandon their fields and seek refuge in larger towns or displacement camps. Human rights groups have documented dozens of attacks on civilian gatherings, churches and markets in the area over the past three years, with the death toll continuing to rise despite repeated government promises of intervention.
The injured victims were evacuated to nearby health facilities, and security personnel were reportedly deployed to the area on Monday morning. However, attempts to reach the Plateau State Police Command spokesman, SP Alfred Alabo, and the Media Information Officer of Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Polycarp Oteh, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to their phones went unanswered.
The attack came just hours after a high‑level federal government delegation visited Oyo State to commiserate with families of 46 pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on 15 May 2026. The delegation, led by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State and the deployment of a special rescue unit. But for the residents of Gwon‑Ajang, those measures, announced hundreds of kilometres away, offered no comfort as they buried their dead on Monday morning.
Residents of affected communities have repeatedly called on both the state and federal governments to establish a permanent military presence in the area, arguing that the response time of security agencies is too slow to prevent attacks. A community leader, who spoke to Tribune on condition of anonymity, said most residents of rural communities in the council area are living in fear and can no longer access their farms.
Barkin Ladi, which sits on the volatile fault lines of Plateau State’s farmer‑herder crises, has witnessed a series of deadly raids in recent months. On 4 May 2026, gunmen killed five persons in Fan District of the same local government area. On 10 May 2026, armed men killed two farmers and rustled 21 cattle in Riyom. The attack on Gwon‑Ajang has now added eight more names to the list of victims, and the community has been left deserted, with many residents fleeing to neighbouring villages for fear of further attacks.
As the sun set on Monday evening, the people of Gwon‑Ajang were left to grieve their dead and tend to the wounded. The bandits who carried out the attack have not been identified, and no arrests have been reported. The police have not issued an official statement, and the silence from the authorities has only deepened the community’s sense of abandonment.
For the residents of Gwon‑Ajang, the attack was a brutal reminder that no place is safe, and that the government’s promises of protection are worth little when the call for help is met with silence. As one survivor, who declined to be named, told reporters: “We called for help. Nobody came. We buried our own.”
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