Gunmen suspected to be bandits have reportedly attacked Berom communities in Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau State, killing five persons and injuring two others.

In a statement to Peoples Gazette on Monday, Rwang Tengwong, the spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders Association, said the two separate attacks occurred on Sunday.

He stated that at about 5:00 p.m., a 65-year-old man, Danladi Badung, was killed at Gwol-Hoss village in Riyom LGA.

“At about 7:00 p.m., four others were killed at Bel in Sho District, Barkin Ladi LGA. They were identified as Emmanuel Pam Dachung, 15; Joseph Gyang, 28; Emmanuel Yohanna, 32; and a soldier whose identity is yet to be established,” he said.

Mr Tengwong said two other victims, Bala Kefas Dachung, 26, and Vivian Christopher, 26, sustained injuries.

He said Ms Christopher was in critical condition at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), where surgeons removed six bullets during an operation.

“The killing of a minor and a soldier, alongside the injuries sustained by other victims, highlights the gravity of the security situation”, he said.

He added that the attacks raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the existing curfew in Barkin Ladi and the capacity of security agencies to protect vulnerable communities.

The group further urged the state government, police, the State Security Service and the military to immediately investigate both attacks, apprehend the perpetrators and ensure their prosecution.

Mr Tengwong called for an increased security presence across vulnerable communities in Plateau State and a review of security deployments to address intelligence and response gaps.

It said security agencies must ensure justice for the victims, provide support for bereaved families and injured survivors, and establish effective early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms to prevent further attacks.

Alfred Alabo, the state police spokesman, could not be reached for comment by The Gazette.

On October 9, gunmen killed three persons at a mining site in the Jamus area of Kazok village, Barkin Ladi LGA. Weeks later, a woman was killed and two farmers were injured by gunmen in Gwom-Ajang, Foron District, Barkin Ladi LGA.

The Gazette also reported that gunmen killed seven people and injured another in an attack on Gyero village in Jos South Local Government Area of the state.