Midnight Massacre: 25 Slaughtered, 4 Injured in Gruesome Armed Attack on Plateau Community

By: Zagazola Makama

In the dead of night, terror descended upon Kimakpa Village in Miango District of Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State, as heavily armed assailants launched a brutal assault that left no fewer than 25 villagers dead and four others critically injured.

According to intelligence sources who spoke with Zagazola Makama, the bloodbath erupted around 2:45 a.m. on Monday when gunmen, believed to be part of a yet-to-be-identified militia group, stormed the sleeping community and opened fire indiscriminately, sending terrified residents fleeing into the dark.

Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of chaos and carnage, as the attackers moved house-to-house, targeting anyone in sight. “It was like a nightmare — bullets everywhere, people screaming, homes set ablaze. We never expected death to come like this,” a resident recounted.

Swift response from a combined security force — including troops of the Nigerian Army led by the Sector Commander, operatives of the Nigerian Police Force, and the Police Mobile Force stationed in Miango — prevented even greater devastation. The security teams engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, eventually forcing them to retreat into the surrounding forests.

After the dust settled, security operatives recovered the lifeless bodies of 25 villagers, most of whom were women and children. Four others who sustained serious gunshot wounds were evacuated to nearby medical facilities, where they remain under intensive care.

In response to the attack, a massive manhunt has been launched to track down the perpetrators. Troops are currently combing the dense forests and difficult terrains surrounding Miango, while additional reinforcements have been deployed to fortify the area and prevent further assaults.

This latest tragedy marks a chilling escalation in the wave of violence that has plagued Plateau communities in recent months, reigniting concerns over security lapses and the need for proactive counterterrorism strategies in Nigeria’s vulnerable regions.

Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the identities of the attackers or possible motives behind the carnage. Meanwhile, tension continues to mount as grieving families begin the painful process of burying their dead.