Massacre in Plateau: Gunmen Kill at Least 20 in Devastating Midnight Raid

iNewsAfrica | Breaking News
Nigeria | Security | July 16, 2025

Tahoss, Plateau State – Unknown gunmen unleashed terror on a quiet community in central Nigeria early Tuesday, killing at least 20 people in a chilling overnight attack that left homes in flames and families shattered.

The attack took place in Tahoss village, located in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where armed assailants stormed the settlement in the dead of night, opening fire on residents and setting buildings ablaze.

Eyewitnesses say the attack lasted for over an hour despite the presence of security personnel stationed in the area. Survivors described scenes of chaos as men with machetes and assault rifles moved from house to house.

“They came without fear. They didn’t care that security was present,” said local leader Sati Shuwa. “By the time it was over, our village was unrecognizable.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the massacre, but officials suspect the violence may be linked to longstanding conflicts between nomadic herders and farming communities, which have plagued Nigeria’s Middle Belt for over a decade.

The latest attack adds to the rising tide of communal and terrorist violence gripping the region. In recent months, similar incidents in Benue and Kaduna states have left scores dead, intensifying fears of a growing security vacuum in Nigeria’s heartland.

Lawmakers and civil society groups are calling for urgent federal intervention. Dewan Gabriel, a Plateau State legislator, decried the killings as “an indictment of current security strategies” and called for tactical reforms.

“We cannot normalize this level of bloodshed,” Gabriel said. “The government must act now or risk total collapse of rural stability.”

The Nigerian government has yet to issue an official statement on the incident. Meanwhile, humanitarian groups are mobilizing to provide emergency aid to displaced survivors.

As investigations continue, the people of Tahoss are left to mourn their dead and rebuild what remains of their once-peaceful village.

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