At least four people were killed and one other injured in a fresh wave of attacks across communities in Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State on September 11 and 12, 2026, according to the Mwaghavul Youth Movement (MYM). The attacks occurred just hours after the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 3 Division, Nigerian Army, held a security meeting with Mwaghavul and Fulani leaders in the area.
Timeline of the Attacks and Victims
The MYM reported that the first killing occurred in Kikyau, Mangu Halle District, where 55-year-old Geoffrey Gumut was killed on Friday, September 11. The following night, gunmen attacked the Kinat community and killed 29-year-old Katbam Titus. The group noted that the Kinat attack came only hours after the GOC's visit and security meeting with community leaders.
On Saturday, September 12, Pius Dachen, 50, and Zadok Irmiya, 25, were killed in Ntul, Mangu District. In a separate incident in Larkas, Panyam District, 45-year-old Danjuma Kyesle was attacked and macheted, and remained in medical care as of the statement's release. The MYM disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, September 13, by its Director of Public Affairs, Tubwot Joël, as reported by Vanguard.
Security Presence Questioned in Larkas Incident
The MYM raised concern about the Larkas incident, alleging that security personnel were present in the community when the attack took place. The group stopped short of naming individuals but said the circumstances warranted a thorough investigation. "Where there are allegations of negligence, compromise or failure of duty, such allegations must be investigated objectively," the statement read.
The group also highlighted the timing of the attacks relative to the GOC's meeting. "Yet, before the dust could settle on that engagement, Kinat was attacked and a young Mwaghavul man, Katbam Titus, was killed. This cannot simply be ignored," the MYM said. The GOC had reportedly urged both Mwaghavul and Fulani groups to end their differences and promised the Army would act against any party responsible for further violence. The MYM said the speed with which the attacks followed that meeting made it impossible to overlook.
Calls for Government and Security Agency Action
The movement called on the Federal Government, the Plateau State Government, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to strengthen protection for residents and disrupt armed groups operating in the area. It also urged Fulani leaders who took part in the GOC's meeting to help identify and discourage armed elements within their own communities.
"Four incidents. Four communities. Multiple victims. It is another painful reminder that armed attackers continue to find opportunities to inflict violence on Mwaghavul communities," the group said. The MYM expressed condolences to the families of Katbam Titus, Geoffrey Gumut, Pius Dachen, and Zadok Irmiya, and prayed for the recovery of Danjuma Kyesle and others wounded in the attacks.
Related Incident: Gunmen Kill 20 in Binper Community
In a separate but related development, Legit.ng also reported that gunmen attacked the Binper community in Mangu LGA of Plateau State around midnight, moving from house to house while residents slept. That attack came less than a week after three people were killed amid tensions between Fulani and Mwaghavul communities in the area. An eyewitness confirmed over 20 deaths and said several others sustained serious injuries, with some residents still missing.
