Soldiers Watched as Fulani Massacred Plateau Women, Children

DDM News

Jos — Tensions have escalated in Plateau State following a brutal attack on Bindi (Jebu) village in the Tahoss community of Riyom Local Government Area, which left at least 27 residents dead, mostly women and children.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM), a prominent regional advocacy group, has accused security personnel of deliberately failing to intervene during the massacre, despite being in close proximity to the site of the killings.

The attack occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, July 15, 2025, between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., when suspected armed Fulani militia descended on the sleeping village.

According to BYM, the attackers emerged from nearby settlements and launched a coordinated onslaught, leaving dozens dead and many others wounded or displaced.

In a strongly worded statement jointly signed by BYM President Solomon Mwantiri and Secretary General Bature Adazaram, the group alleged that security agents from Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), a multi-agency task force operating in the region, were aware of the threats and even witnessed suspicious movements prior to the attack.

BYM stated that locals had reported sightings of armed men grazing cattle near the community days before the massacre.

Despite these warnings, no proactive measures were taken.

During the attack, the statement alleges, security forces arrived but failed to engage the assailants.

“They positioned themselves by the roadside, less than a kilometre from the village, while the massacre was ongoing,” the group stated.

The youth group described the conduct of the reinforcement unit as a “deliberate act of negligence” and accused OPSH of complicity, or at the very least, gross dereliction of duty.

“This is not the first time our people are being butchered in their sleep while those tasked with protecting them watch from a distance,” Mwantiri lamented.

The association has demanded a full investigation into the security lapse, immediate justice for the victims, and compensation for affected families.

They also called for a restructuring of Nigeria’s rural security architecture, particularly in vulnerable communities across Plateau and other Middle Belt states.

The massacre adds to the rising insecurity in Plateau State, which has endured cycles of ethnic and religious violence for over two decades.

Riyom LGA, a predominantly Berom area, has been a flashpoint in the long-running conflict between indigenous farming communities and herders.

Operation Safe Haven has not issued an official response as of press time.

The Nigerian Army and Police authorities are also yet to comment on the specific allegations made by BYM.

Meanwhile, civil society organisations, lawmakers, and community leaders have begun voicing outrage, demanding accountability and an end to what they call the “systemic abandonment” of indigenous communities in Nigeria’s conflict zones.

Survivors of the attack are currently taking refuge in nearby villages and makeshift camps, as humanitarian agencies assess the scale of displacement and damage

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