Monday, May 4, 2026 - Plateau State, which was the epicenter of an attack by gunmen on Friday, Pastor Timothy Luka, has refuted claims by the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association, GAFDAN, that the attackers were not Fulani militias.

The gunmen, suspected Fulani militias had ambushed some youths who were returning from a tin mining site along the Aloghom-Yilpo-Mwansat college axis of the community leading to the death of a youth identified as Kyenshak Inusa, while two others sustained gunshots, and one person was kidnapped.

But in a statement on Friday, GAFDAN countered the allegations, stating that Fulani bandits did not carry out the attacks but rather were perpetrated by Mwaghavul youths in the community who blocked the Mangu-Jos road and set some structures on fire.

However, in a counter-statement on Sunday by Pastor Luka, who is also a prominent community leader, debunked the GAFDAN statement, insisting that the attackers were indeed Fulani bandits.

The statement tagged “Fulani terrorists attacked, killed and injured our youth on the 30th April when returning from mining site,” Pastor Luka said any attempt by GAFDAN or other Fulani groups to paint the attack otherwise would be vehemently rejected by the people. He added that anytime the militias attack the local communities and the youths decide to stand up and defend themselves, soldiers would be dispatched to intervene and protect the attackers.

“On Friday, 1st May 2026, the Fulani militias came to Yilpo again, this time around the came to wipe out the community and the youth mobilized themselves to defend the whole community but the soldiers from the Sector 2 Command of OPEP in Mangu later came and gave them cover shooting at the defenseless residents again,” the clergy said.

“Despite attempts by Fulani groups like GAFDAN claiming that the assailants were not Fulani people but Mwaghavul youths, I can categorically and unequivocally confirm that the attackers were Fulani bandits. I saw them at close range. Many others saw them as well and heard them speaking their language. So I wonder why they will say those who attacked us were not Fulani people.

“Over 15 people were shot, one died, and those who sustained injuries are currently being hospitalized in Jos and Mangu.

“The assault lasted over seven hours and there was no intervention from security operatives despite calls made to them but when soldiers later came, they rather protected the assailants and were shooting at our youths which led to the blocking of the road by our angry youths.

“We want the world to know what we are going through. When Baba Dachomo said there’s a genocide against Christians in Plateau State, some were criticizing him, calling him all sorts of names but of course, this is the reality of what happened in our community (Yilpo) Sabon Gari, of Mangu LGA.

“We want to make it known that we would no longer hesitate to retaliate whenever we’re being attacked because our lives are valuable to us just as anyone’s life is valuable to him.”

Pastor Luka went on to list out the names of those who were injured in the attack, saying “the following persons sustained varying degrees of bullet wounds:

1. Nanfwang Sunday – male (28yrs)
2. Nanribet Emmanuel – male (33yrs)
3. Fwangmun Joshua – male (32yrs)
4. Nandom Peter – male (28yrs)
5. Nanchin Yunana – female (26yrs)
6. Longret Titus – female (23yrs)
7. Obed Ishaku – male (28yrs)
8. Longdet Yusuf – male (25yrs)
9. Bamshak Samuel – male (26yrs)
10. Josiah Katu – male (31yrs)
11. Nathaniel Nwanse – male (24yrs)
12. Ezekiel Domshak – male (29yrs)
13. Plangji Daniel – male (25yrs)

“The following were abducted by the Fulani gang and are still missing:

“Nanfwang Obadiah, Nanfwang Daniel, Riinfwang Dade, and Nandyel Panshak. As a community that has been wounded severely by the bandits without any proper arrest by the security agents, it suffices to say it’s normal for the youths to be angry,” the clergy added.