Suspected militia attack Jwak Maitumbi community in Mangu LGA, Plateau State, killing several residents, destroying 45 homes and crops, and triggering mass displacement, according to security sources.
Mangu, Plateau State — August 17, 2026
Several residents of Jwak Maitumbi community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State are feared dead following an attack by suspected militia members on Sunday morning, according to security sources.
Counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, citing a military security source, reported that the attack began at around 7:45 a.m., with gunmen shooting several residents before troops could be deployed to the area.
By the time soldiers arrived, they reportedly found about 45 residential structures destroyed, along with large quantities of crops, while attackers had also looted valuables from homes before fleeing.
The assault reportedly triggered an immediate wave of displacement, with women, children, and elderly residents fleeing the community in search of safety. As of this report, the exact number of fatalities had not been officially confirmed by the Plateau State Police Command or Operation Enduring Peace, the joint military task force covering the state.
The Jwak Maitumbi attack adds to a wave of violence recorded across Plateau State in the past week alone, including a string of attacks on Berom communities, Gwa-Wereng Rim, Kyeng Village, Dorong, and Jol Village, that killed at least two people and left houses burnt just days earlier.
Mangu LGA in particular has a recent history of large-scale attacks, including a 2025 assault on Hurti community that killed more than 40 people and destroyed hundreds of homes.
As of this report, security agencies had not issued an official statement confirming casualty figures or details of any response operation, and the claims remain based on security-source reporting that has not been independently verified by police.
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