Three civilians have been killed in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State following a fresh attack on the night of May 3, adding to a growing cycle of tit-for-tat violence in the region.

Security sources said the incident occurred at about 8:55 p.m. when armed men ambushed civilians travelling on motorcycles along a rural route near Fan Loo. The victims were intercepted and shot before the attackers fled into nearby bushes.

Troops of Sector 4 under Operation Safe Haven were deployed immediately after being alerted. On arrival, they found three bodies at the scene. The remains were evacuated after a preliminary assessment, while security personnel launched follow-up operations in surrounding areas to track the fleeing attackers.

Authorities believe the attack is linked to an ongoing pattern of reprisal killings in Barkin Ladi and neighbouring LGAs, where longstanding communal tensions have repeatedly triggered armed confrontations.

The incident comes just days after a series of violent outbreaks across Plateau, including kidnappings, killings, and clashes between security forces and armed groups in Mangu, Bokkos, and Barkin Ladi. Within the week, a pastor was killed alongside his wife and daughter in what sources described as a reprisal following an earlier attack on a Fulani community and livestock rustling.

In Barkin Ladi, Fulani community leader Alhaji Lawal Abubakar was recently abducted from his residence in Kara village, prompting ongoing search operations. In Bokkos, Danlami Luka was killed in Kaban village in an attack that further heightened tensions.

In Mangu, troops have been conducting multiple operations after unrest escalated in Sabon Gari. Security sources said soldiers came under fire while attempting to restore order during a youth mobilisation linked to a prior killing at a mining site. The confrontation resulted in the death of a senior officer, with troops responding in self-defence and neutralising two attackers while recovering weapons. The situation later sparked retaliatory attacks and roadblocks targeting specific groups in parts of the LGA.

Across the state, troops under Operation Enduring Peace have intensified patrols, cordon-and-search missions, and arrests of suspected criminals in an effort to stabilise volatile communities. In Bassa, a suspected vandal was arrested while allegedly attempting to steal copper cables. In Jos East and Jos South, soldiers intervened in disputes over farmland destruction and grazing to prevent further escalation.