KEY POINTS

• Gunmen attacked mourners during a mass burial in Plateau State, forcing residents to flee for safety.
• Witnesses said the attackers opened fire while graves were being dug, killing and injuring several people.
• Residents and community leaders are calling for urgent security intervention as attacks spread across multiple communities.

A mass burial in Plateau State ended in tragedy on Wednesday after gunmen attacked mourners gathered to bury victims of an earlier assault in Nding Fan District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.

The mourners had assembled to lay seven people to rest when the attackers reportedly stormed the area and opened fire on the crowd. Witnesses said the assailants had been monitoring the burial activities from nearby hills before launching the attack.

The sudden shooting caused panic as grieving residents abandoned the funeral and ran for safety while bullets rang out across the community.

Eyewitnesses said the attack happened while graves were still being dug for the earlier victims. According to residents, the gunmen overwhelmed local defenders who only had hunting rifles and locally made weapons.

One survivor said a man was shot dead directly in front of him during the attack, describing the incident as terrifying and chaotic.

Residents were reportedly forced to hurriedly bury some of the bodies in shallow graves before fleeing the area to escape further violence.

Multiple Communities Reportedly Targeted

Sources in the area said the violence was not limited to the burial ground alone, as at least five communities south of Jos allegedly came under simultaneous attacks.

The coordinated nature of the assaults has raised fears that the attackers carried out a planned operation across several villages in the area.

The attacks have triggered fresh panic in Barkin Ladi, with many residents fleeing their homes for safer locations amid fears of more violence.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities had not released an official casualty figure due to the confusion and ongoing displacement of residents.

Rescue efforts are still ongoing in affected communities, while local groups continue searching for missing persons and helping injured victims.

The Berom Youth Moulders Association described the situation as “terrible,” saying efforts were focused on reaching trapped residents in the attacked communities.