Rwang Tengwong, spokesman of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, has confirmed that three women were killed and another person injured after gunmen attacked a mining site in Rakum community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Monday afternoon.
The attackers reportedly arrived at the site at about 4:00pm to 4:30pm and opened fire on workers before fleeing the area, according to Tengwong and community resident John Silas.
Also read: Five miners feared killed in Plateau mining site attack
The identities of the women had not been publicly disclosed in the reports reviewed, and no group had claimed responsibility for the attack.
Tengwong described the incident as a deeply troubling development for residents and workers in the area.
“This is another sad development that has further heightened concerns over the safety of people working and living in the area,” Tengwong said.
Tengwong urged security agencies to identify and arrest those responsible, while Silas separately appealed for stronger protection for residents carrying out their daily activities.
“The attackers came to the mining site and opened fire on the people there. Three women were killed and another person was injured,” Silas said.
The attack adds to a grim sequence of violence reported across Plateau in recent weeks, with Barkin Ladi among several local government areas affected by renewed insecurity.
On September 21, the Plateau State Government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu following a series of attacks and emerging security threats.
The restriction runs from 6pm to 6am and remains in force until further notice, according to the state government.
The government said the curfew was intended to give security agencies room to stabilise the affected communities, protect lives and prevent further deterioration of public order.
A motorcycle ban was also imposed across the three local government areas.
The latest shooting occurred during daylight hours, several hours before the 6pm curfew takes effect.
That timing has added another dimension to concerns over the safety of people working in exposed locations across Barkin Ladi.
The Rakum incident also follows other deadly attacks involving mining sites in the local government area.
On September 23, the Berom Youth Moulders Association reported that 25-year-old Phillip Luka and 34-year-old Sunday John were killed at a mining site in Kworos Gangare, also in Barkin Ladi.
The group said the deaths occurred amid wider attacks that also affected farmland and livelihoods in several Plateau communities.
Days earlier, community sources reported another attack at a mining site in Marit village, Barkin Ladi, in which at least five miners were killed and two others injured.
The succession of incidents has placed mining locations under particular scrutiny.
Workers at such sites can operate in relatively exposed areas, while the wider communities depend on mining and agriculture for livelihoods.
Plateau has also experienced other forms of mining-related tragedy. On September 22, four people died after a sand excavation pit collapsed in Tangur community, Bokkos Local Government Area, according to reporting citing security sources. The incident was separate from the armed attack in Rakum.
For residents of Rakum, however, the immediate concern is the loss of three women and the condition of the person injured in Monday’s shooting.
The available reports do not yet establish a motive for the attack or identify the perpetrators.
There was also no immediate public statement from the Plateau State Police Command confirming arrests or providing an account of the incident in the sources reviewed.
Tengwong said security agencies must move quickly to prevent the attack from becoming another unresolved episode in the area’s troubled security landscape.
“We are calling on the security operatives to immediately go after the perpetrators and ensure that those responsible are arrested and brought to justice,” he said.
The call reflects a wider concern in communities around Barkin Ladi, where recent killings have prompted restrictions on movement but have not removed the risks facing people who need to work, farm or trade.
For now, the circumstances surrounding the Rakum shooting remain under investigation.
Also read: Five miners feared killed in Plateau mining site attack
The identities of the victims, the motive behind the attack and the identity of the gunmen are among the key details still awaiting official clarification.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
