Plateau: Sunday Darian Shot Dead Along Jol-Sho Road
RIYOM — A suspected guerrilla-style ambush along the Jol–Sho road in Riyom Local Government Area has claimed the life of a middle-aged man, Sunday Darian. The attack occurred on Friday evening as Darian and a female companion were commuting from Barkin Ladi toward his residence in the Jol community. Armed men reportedly intercepted the duo, opening fire at close range before retreating into the surrounding bushland. Consequently, Darian sustained catastrophic gunshot injuries and was stabilized by responders before being rushed to a hospital in Barkin Ladi. Tragically, medical personnel confirmed his death on Saturday morning, February 21, 2026. This latest killing underscores the escalating danger facing commuters in the agrarian heartland of the Plateau.
The Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) has formally condemned the attack, describing it as a “senseless provocation” against innocent civilians. In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, the association characterized the ambush as a part of a systematic wave of rural terror. Furthermore, the BYM urged security agencies to move beyond routine condemnations and initiate a proactive hunt for the perpetrators. While it is true that the military remains active in the “Operation Safe Haven” theater, rural roads continue to serve as soft targets for mobile hit squads. Indeed, the Riyom-Barkin Ladi bypass has witnessed a 15% increase in “highway harassment” incidents since the beginning of the year.
The state government has recently accelerated the deployment of 1,000 newly approved Forest Guards to serve as a grassroots security shield. In a related development, Governor Caleb Mutfwang recently lauded the Presidency’s commitment to repositioning the Armed Forces for decentralized rural defense. Granted, these guards seek to enhance intelligence gathering, but their operational effectiveness against well-armed militias remains a subject of intense debate. Notably, the Riyom-Barkin Ladi axis remains a volatile flashpoint where livestock poisoning often escalates into retaliatory raids on human settlements. Above all, the BYM has called for an “emergency security audit” of the Jol-Sho bypass to identify the specific hideouts used by these ambush teams.
Significantly, the survivor of the Friday attack remains a key witness who could provide the State Intelligence Department with a profile of the assailants. Subsequently, the Police Command has promised to bolster vehicular patrols along major transit routes during the sensitive Lent and Ramadan seasons. Although the “Home of Peace and Tourism” continues to market its resilience, the recurring “Dark Friday” ambushes threaten to paralyze rural commerce. Therefore, the success of the new 1,000-man guard force will be measured by its ability to prevent another Sunday Darian from falling on these lonely roads.
Finally, the focus of the community remains on the burial of the deceased and the impending security response from the Riyom Divisional office. As a result of this killing, the call for “Community Policing” has reached a crescendo among the indigenous populations of the Plateau. The quest for a secure state depends on a seamless synergy between the central military command and the local forest defenders.