Armed gunmen, suspected to be Fulani militias, stormed a local mining site in the Atoso village (sometimes referred to as Tosho or Ratoso) within the Fan District of Barkin Ladi. The attackers opened fire indiscriminately on miners who were working a night shift. The assault was described by community leaders as unprovoked, resulting in a high death toll and several abductions. Survivors reported hearing the attackers speaking in a language associated with herder militias.
16 Dec 2025 · Tosho, Barkin Ladi, Plateau
Deaths
12
Injured
5
Kidnapped
3
Total casualties
17
Perpetrators
Unidentified Armed Actors
Response
A mass burial was conducted on December 20, 2025, following a church service at the Nerad Bisichi Mortuary. Security forces from Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) were notified, and the Plateau State Government called for an immediate investigation into the security lapses. President Tinubu subsequently ordered swift security measures for the state following this and other mid-December strikes.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Competition over mineral resources, extortion, and territorial control by armed groups.
Trajectory
Reflects Plateau’s longstanding cycle of communal/resource-linked violence, now extending into artisanal mining zones.
Cycle notes
Mirrors earlier attacks on miners in Zamfara (2016–2021), showing how resource-linked insecurity spreads across Nigeria’s mineral-rich states.
Pattern
The Night Mine Ambush — This incident highlights a specific tactical trend in Plateau State: attacking artisanal mining sites at night. Miners are often targeted because they are isolated from village security hubs, making them easy targets for militias seeking to disrupt the local economy or retaliate for previous grievances.
Related — Armed Attack
Armed gunmen attacked Tarangol community in Bokkos LGA, Plateau State, killing cows and abducting two children.
Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, fleeing the Nigerian military's clearance operations in the Sambisa Forest, launched a surprise attack on the agrarian community of Bayamari. During the attack, the assailants killed seven villagers and four policemen who were trying to protect the people.
Gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram opened fire on a group of people playing cards in the Tukuntawa area of Kano city, a suburb located about 10 kilometres from the city centre. The attack, which occurred at approximately 6:00 pm on Sunday evening, killed three people instantly and wounded four others. The victims were rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital. The assailants escaped on a motorcycle, a signature Boko Haram hit‑and‑run tactic.