Seven people have been confirmed dead following a violent overnight attack on an illegal mining site in Plateau State, security authorities have said.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Capitex, located in Kuru community of Jos South Local Government Area.
According to military sources, suspected armed bandits stormed the site around 1:00 a.m., allegedly in an attempt to steal illegally extracted minerals.
Troops attached to Sector 6 of Operation Safe Haven were alerted to the attack later in the morning by a resident of the area.
Upon receiving the report at about 8:40 a.m., security personnel were immediately deployed to the location to restore calm and assess the situation.
A senior military source confirmed that all seven victims were illegal miners who had remained at the site overnight.
Their presence, the source noted, violated the Plateau State Government’s standing prohibition on illegal and night-time mining activities.
During a sweep of the area, soldiers reportedly recovered ten spent cartridges of 7.62mm special ammunition, believed to have been fired by the attackers.
No arrests had been made as of the time of reporting.
The bodies of the deceased were evacuated to the Primary Health Care Centre in Dabwak, Kuru, where documentation was carried out before they were released to their families for burial.
Preliminary findings suggested that the attack went unreported for several hours due to fear of sanctions associated with the ban on night mining.
Security officials believe this delay may have affected the immediate response to the incident.
Despite this, the military said efforts were ongoing to track down those responsible.
The troops were said to be conducting sustained intelligence-led operations, alongside community engagements aimed at preventing further violence and easing tensions in the area.
Security agencies have also assured residents of Kuru and surrounding communities of their safety, noting that troops remain on high alert and are maintaining a visible presence to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
