Gunmen attack Tanjol and Tarai villages in Riyom LGA, Plateau State, killing two security operatives and carting away their weapons, in the latest of several deadly incidents to hit the same Jol District communities this year.
Riyom, Plateau State — August 23, 2026
At least two security operatives have been killed and several other people injured after suspected gunmen launched a coordinated attack on Tanjol and Tarai communities in Jol District, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Sunday afternoon.
According to residents, dozens of armed attackers, described by local sources as Fulani-speaking, stormed the two villages simultaneously at around 1 p.m., firing sporadically at locals. Security personnel responded swiftly to distress calls from villagers but encountered fierce resistance, leading to a gun battle that lasted several minutes.
Sources said the attackers made away with the service rifles of the slain security operatives following the encounter. As of 4:30 p.m. local time, the situation remained tense, with reports of continued gunfire and at least one civilian resident unaccounted for.
The exact final casualty figures had not been officially confirmed as of this report, and details continue to emerge as the incident unfolds.
Tanjol and the wider Jol District have been the site of repeated attacks over the past several months, including a May 2026 assault that killed a 25-year-old vigilante, and a separate August 4 ambush along the nearby Ganawuri–Sabon Gida road that killed a police inspector and an Air Force corporal.
Community groups, including the Berom Youths Moulder-Association, have previously accused Fulani herders of using nearby hill areas as staging points for attacks and have repeatedly called on the Plateau State Government and security task forces to act.
The attack adds to an extraordinarily violent stretch for Plateau State, which has seen the Nigerian Army relocate its 3 Division tactical headquarters to neighbouring Mangu LGA and launch "Operation Hard Nut" following the recent mass-casualty attacks in Jwak Maitumbi and Binper communities.
As of this report, neither the Plateau State Police Command nor Operation Enduring Peace had issued an official statement confirming casualty numbers or detailing any response operation in Riyom.
This is a developing story; details, including the final casualty toll, may be updated as more information becomes available.
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