At least nine people have been killed in a series of attacks by unidentified gunmen in communities across Nigeria’s central Plateau State, according to local media reports.
The violence was reported overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning in Barkin Ladi, Riyom and surrounding areas, raising tensions in communities already affected by recurring insecurity.
Five people were killed when a bus travelling through Barkin Ladi came under attack on Saturday night, according to Bulus Dabit, president of the Mwaghavul Development Association. Four others were reportedly killed early Sunday while travelling to attend church.
The attacks have prompted some residents to leave affected communities, while others have remained behind amid concerns over further violence. No group has publicly claimed responsibility for the killings.
Plateau State lies in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, a region between the predominantly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south. The area has experienced repeated episodes of communal violence, with conflicts often linked to land, grazing rights, resources and longstanding tensions between communities.
