Tragedy in Plateau: Three Killed, Two Injured in Fresh Attack on Farmers in Bassa
A fresh wave of violence has rocked Plateau State as three members of the same family were gruesomely murdered while harvesting tomatoes in the Te’ebbe community of Miango District, Bassa Local Government Area.
The victims, all farmers, were ambushed by unknown assailants in a chilling attack that also left two others critically injured, who have since been rushed to Jos University Teaching Hospital for urgent medical attention. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
Attack Coincides With Peace Mission Visit
Tragically, the attack occurred just as a fact-finding committee commissioned by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang was in the area. The committee was meeting with security agencies and local leaders at the Bassa LGA secretariat to address the deep-rooted crisis plaguing the region since 2001.
Our correspondent confirmed that journalists present during the meeting witnessed the chaotic evacuation of the victims by distressed community members.
Committee Chairman Reacts On-Site: “One of the Saddest Days of My Life”
A visibly shaken General Rogers, who chairs the investigative committee, condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a dark day for the people of Plateau.
“We were in the middle of a peace engagement when news came in. We rushed to the site with the local government chairman and security officers. What we saw were three lifeless bodies—three innocent women. A fourth victim, a man, was battling for his life. These were young people simply harvesting tomatoes, not causing any harm,” he lamented.
General Rogers appealed to the Irigwe youth and other aggrieved groups to avoid reprisal actions and allow law enforcement to carry out a thorough investigation.
“This is heartbreaking. But we must not allow grief to spark more violence. Let justice take its course,” he added.
Kaduna Governor Visits Survivors of Earlier Plateau Attack
In a related development, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani paid a visit to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to show solidarity with survivors of a previous attack in Mangu Local Government Area, also in Plateau State.
Many of the victims were Kaduna residents, raising broader concerns over the spillover effects of ethnic and communal violence in the Middle Belt region.
A Cycle of Violence Demanding Urgent Intervention
This latest killing adds to the mounting list of targeted attacks on farming communities in Plateau State, a region long besieged by land disputes, ethno-religious conflict, and banditry. Human rights advocates are calling for more proactive security deployment, as the death toll continues to rise.
As investigations continue, the Bassa community is left in mourning—again—as hopes for lasting peace remain uncertain.