An armed attack targeted a mining site in Atosu village, Plateau State, central Nigeria, killing at least 12 people and abducting three others, according to local community leaders.
Daliop Solomon Mwenteri, head of the Berom Youth Association of Metalworkers, said the attackers—described by residents as armed Fulani militias—carried out the assault late on Tuesday night. Five people sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to hospital for treatment.
The attack once again highlights the persistent insecurity in Nigeria’s volatile Middle Belt, a region frequently affected by violent clashes between farmers and herders.
The incident comes just days after four children were killed in a nearby village, underscoring growing fears of escalating violence.
Mwenteri noted that the attack occurred despite early warning signs, urging authorities to deploy additional security forces to protect local communities and secure the release of the abducted victims.
Meanwhile, state police spokesperson Alfred Alabo confirmed that an investigation into the incident has been launched.
