No fewer than three persons have been confirmed dead following a Tuesday evening attack by unidentified gunmen on a mining site in the Jol community of Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State.
​The attack occurred at approximately 6:00 PM on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, when armed assailants stormed the active artisanal mining location and opened fire indiscriminately on workers and bystanders.
​Bulus Shen, a resident of the Jol community, confirmed the incident to journalists, stating that the sudden gunfire caused widespread panic throughout the area.
​”The gunmen arrived at the mining site in the evening and began shooting sporadically,” Shen said. “The attack threw the entire community into panic, and at least three people lost their lives on the spot.”
​Confirming the casualties, Rwang Tengwong, spokesperson for the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), strongly condemned the assault, characterizing the recurring target of rural workers as disturbing and unacceptable.
​”We strongly condemn this senseless killing of innocent citizens who were simply trying to earn a living,” Tengwong stated. He urged security agencies to urgently launch a full-scale investigation, track down the perpetrators, and bolster security presence around vulnerable rural communities across the state.
​Efforts to reach DSP Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Plateau State Police Command, for official comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
​The latest incident adds to the heightened tension in Plateau State’s metal-rich belt, where artisanal mining sites in Riyom and neighboring Barkin Ladi LGAs have suffered repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months. Local leaders continue to demand decisive military intervention and heightened patrol routes to protect rural residents and local laborers.
