Pastor Killed on Way to Church Among Nine Slaughtered in Fresh Rural Community Attacks in Nigeria

A pastor was reportedly shot dead while on his way to a church service in Dorowa Babuje, Barkin Ladi, as at least nine people were killed in separate attacks across communities in Nigeria's Plateau State over the weekend.

The attacks occurred between Saturday night, September 19, and Sunday morning, September 20, according to local reports. The violence has heightened concerns among residents and prompted renewed calls for stronger security in the affected areas.

Plateau State has experienced recurring violence since at least 2001, with Barkin Ladi and Riyom among the local government areas repeatedly affected by communal and other attacks.

The latest killings came despite the presence of Operation Safe Haven, a joint security task force established in 2010 that includes personnel from the Nigerian army, navy, air force, police and other agencies, with its headquarters in Jos and an operational area covering Plateau and parts of Bauchi and southern Kaduna.

Fresh Attacks Hit Communities in Barkin Ladi and Riyom

The first wave of killings struck on Saturday night, when five passengers travelling to Gana-Ropp as day labourers were ambushed and shot dead. Ukasha Garaba, the Pyem Youth Leader in Gana-Ropp, confirmed that the bodies had been recovered from the scene.

'We evacuated the corpses of five persons from Gana-Ropp. They were passengers who were traveling as laborers,' he said, describing the killings as painful and urging authorities to act swiftly.

Hours later, on Sunday morning, a pastor and another person were reportedly gunned down while heading to a church service at Dorowa Babuje in the same local government area. Neither victim had been named publicly as of Sunday, according to local reports.

The killings heightened tensions in Kantoma and surrounding communities, with women and children reportedly fleeing as gunshots were heard from nearby areas.

In Riyom Local Government Area, attackers reportedly killed a woman at Baten Wereng late on Saturday, and a second person at Ratyidi in the Fan District. Cattle were also reportedly killed or stolen from farms at Dorowa Maranba and along the Kantoma axis around 3 a.m. on Sunday, according to community sources.

The identities of those responsible for the latest attacks had not been established publicly, and no group has claimed responsibility for the weekend's killings.

Community Leaders Call for Stronger Security Presence

Bulus Dabit, national president of the Mwaghavul Development Association, confirmed the deaths at Gana-Ropp and called on security operatives to pursue those responsible. He said residents were living in fear because the attacks had continued, and demanded that those responsible be arrested and prosecuted.

Rwang Tengwong, a spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders, condemned the attacks as unacceptable.

'We condemn these attacks in the strongest terms and call on the security agencies to urgently strengthen their presence in the affected communities. The killing of innocent people must stop,' he said, pressing for a prompt investigation and warning that more lives and property would be lost without decisive action.

Human Rights Watch has documented thousands of killings in Plateau State's violence over previous periods, with tens of thousands more displaced from their homes in earlier waves of conflict. Local leaders have repeatedly said the security measures in place have not stopped the killings.

Curfew Imposed as Authorities Respond to Violence

In response to the fresh violence, the Plateau State government imposed an immediate dusk-to-dawn curfew on Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu local government areas on Monday, September 21. The order restricts movement between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily until further notice, as authorities attempt to restore calm.

The curfew came as troops of Operation Enduring Peace arrested 11 suspected kidnappers in separate operations across the state, according to security sources. Two kidnapping victims were also rescued in the operations.

The measures come as authorities face renewed pressure to prevent further attacks in communities that have endured years of cyclical violence. For families in Dorowa Babuje, Gana-Ropp and other affected villages, the question is whether the latest security steps will deliver the protection that has remained elusive for more than two decades.