A late-night raid on Gako Village in Plateau’s Riyom Local Government Area by gunmen on Sunday, April 26, has claimed the lives of a local pastor and his entire family.
Reverend Ayuba Choji, his wife Chundung, and their two children, Cyril and Endurance, were fatally shot around 11 p.m. on Sunday when coordinated assailants opened fire on the community.
The attack triggered a mass exodus, with terrified residents fleeing into the nearby brush to escape the gunfire.
A local resident Martha Dalyop told Channels Television that the community is paralyzed by fear and “traumatized” by the ongoing violence.
“They came late at night and started shooting indiscriminately,” she said, adding that villagers are being forced to sleep in the bushes for survival.
This cycle of violence has effectively halted daily life, as residents are now too terrified to live in their homes or tend to their farms.
Rwang Tengwong, Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association, confirmed the assault and noted the attackers’ “disturbing level of coordination.”
He detailed a sophisticated three-pronged strategy: one group targets residents directly, a second destroys crops, and a third blocks escape and rescue routes.
“The way these attacks are carried out shows clear coordination. While some attack residents, others are busy destroying farms and blocking roads to prevent any form of rescue,” Tengwong said.
He further noted that the devastation isn’t limited to loss of life; within the last 48 hours, vast farmlands in Barkin Ladi’s Kassa district were razed.
The destruction of staple crops like cabbage, pepper, and maize has dealt a crushing economic blow to an already struggling population.
While the Plateau State Police Command was contacted for comment, the spokesperson did not return calls or messages by press time.
Meanwhile, the latest killings have left Riyom and its neighbours on edge, with residents demanding immediate, decisive intervention from the authorities to end the cycle of violence.
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