Gunmen have killed a police inspector, Yakubu Dauda, and made away with his rifle during an attack in the Chwelnyap Rim community, located in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
David Tsado, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Riyom LGA, confirmed the incident during a visit by a fact-finding committee set up by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to investigate ongoing violence in the region.
According to Tsado, the attack occurred on Monday, June 23, 2025, while officers were responding to security threats in the area. He said the gunmen, who came in large numbers, ambushed the police team, leading to a deadly exchange of gunfire.
“Yesterday (Monday), my men were on the ground in the community following a report of security threats. Unknown to us, some gunmen had laid an ambush. While tracing their location, they opened fire on our officers. Sadly, Inspector Yakubu Dauda lost his life in the process,” Tsado said.
He added that the attackers were heavily armed and outnumbered the officers on the ground. Despite reinforcements, the police were unable to overpower them. The inspector’s body has since been deposited at the hospital morgue.
“Today (Tuesday), the Commissioner of Police deployed additional personnel to confront the gunmen, but it turned into another intense shootout. Eventually, we had to withdraw due to the heavy firepower,” Tsado explained.
Major General Nicholas Rogers, who chairs the governor’s fact-finding committee, described the situation as dire. “It’s a very bad situation. We’re here to identify the root causes of the violence and gather input from community stakeholders on lasting solutions,” he said.
Local youth and community leaders told the committee that several villages had come under attack in recent weeks. They reported that at least nine people had been killed and 33 homes burned down in the past month alone.
They expressed hope that the government’s intervention and the committee’s findings would help put an end to the recurring violence in the region.
