May 06, (THEWILL) — Panic and grief deepened in Plateau State on Wednesday after gunmen launched a deadly assault on mourners in Ndang village, Fan District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, attacking residents who had gathered to bury seven victims of an earlier raid.
The victims being buried were killed in a Tuesday night attack that occurred around 9 p.m., during which seven persons, including an entire family of five, lost their lives.
The fresh assault on Wednesday has compounded fears among residents, with reports indicating that several more people were killed and many others wounded.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers struck in the afternoon while locals were digging a mass grave for the victims, forcing mourners to abandon proper funeral rites and flee for safety.
A community member, Weng Christopher, said the gunmen opened fire indiscriminately on unsuspecting villagers, throwing the entire area into chaos.
Further details revealed that the assailants had positioned themselves on hills surrounding the community, from where they monitored the burial before descending suddenly to attack.
An eyewitness, Masara Kim, a journalist who was present at the scene, described the incident as part of a wider coordinated assault affecting multiple communities.
“So right now, there is an ongoing attack, a massive attack… more than five communities are experiencing simultaneous attacks,” Kim said.
He recounted that the mourners had only dug a shallow grave when intelligence filtered in that attackers were advancing toward the area.
“The mass grave was just a little below two feet, but they had to abandon the digging and just dump the bodies in them. There weren’t any official funeral rites yet… just a brief prayer, and moments later, there were incoming gunshots,” he said.
Kim added that he witnessed a man being shot at close range as the attackers advanced into the community.
“Right in front of me, a man fell. He was one of the civilian defenders who were trying to protect the defenceless civilians using homemade pipe guns and hunting rifles,” he said.
According to him, local vigilantes attempted to resist the attackers but were overwhelmed, forcing residents and observers to flee.
“By the time we realised how close it was, people were already falling… we had to run and abandon our vehicle in the centre of the community. I just made it out safely, but for those left behind, may God have mercy on their souls,” he added.
Kim noted that he could not confirm the exact casualty figures due to the tense and rapidly evolving situation at the time he escaped.
Reacting to the development, the publicity secretary of the Berom Youth-Moulders Association (BYM), Rwang Tengwom, described the situation as “terrible,” disclosing that efforts were underway to rescue individuals trapped in the affected area.
“I am on a bike now to the place. The situation is quite bad, and we learnt that our president is trapped. We’re going there to rescue him by all means,” Tengwom said.
The latest attack has heightened anxiety across communities in Barkin Ladi and surrounding areas, with residents calling for urgent and reinforced security deployment to stem the tide of recurring violence.
While authorities are yet to release an official casualty figure, the incident underscores growing security concerns in Plateau State and the urgent need for decisive intervention to protect vulnerable communities and restore lasting peace.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
