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A deadly assault in Nigeria’s Plateau State this week, which left at least 27 civilians dead, has drawn sharp condemnation from Amnesty International, which accused authorities of failing to protect vulnerable communities. The attack unfolded Monday in the remote village of Bindi-Jebbu, part of the Tahoss community in Riyom Local Government Area, marking the latest episode in a protracted cycle of violence plaguing the region.

Witness accounts described a methodical massacre, with armed assailants reportedly trapping families inside their homes before killing them. Survivors and local sources told the human rights organization that those attempting to flee were shot. “Entire families were locked up in their rooms and slaughtered one by one,” Amnesty Nigeria stated in a social media post Wednesday, calling the violence a “horrific and shameful” breakdown of security. Victims included farmers and residents from rural communities frequently targeted in clashes linked to ethnic, religious, and territorial disputes.

The organization directed criticism at President Bola Tinubu’s administration, arguing that pledges to rein in bloodshed have yet to translate into results. “President Tinubu claims repeatedly to have ‘tasked’ security agencies to end the killings, but the mounting death toll clearly tells a different story,” Amnesty said. Plateau State, a flashpoint for tensions between herders and agrarian communities, has seen hundreds killed in recent years, with rights groups repeatedly accusing security forces of inadequate response and delayed interventions.

Amnesty urged Nigerian authorities to conduct an impartial probe into the Bindi-Jebbu killings and hold perpetrators accountable. It also pressed for systemic reforms to address root causes of violence, including land disputes and competition over resources. “More concrete steps must be taken to end the relentless bloodshed,” the group emphasized, noting that attackers often torch homes and target civilians with near-total impunity.

The statement underscored a broader pattern of insecurity eroding public trust. “The rising death toll and increasing impunity by gunmen show just how badly the authorities are failing in their responsibility to protect lives,” Amnesty concluded. Analysts have long warned that unchecked violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt risks exacerbating displacement, food insecurity, and intercommunal fractures.

The latest attack adds to a grim toll in Plateau: Over 200 people were killed in coordinated Christmas Eve raids across villages in the state last December, sparking national outrage. While federal and state officials have announced security crackdowns, residents in rural areas continue to report slow response times and insufficient military presence. With farming communities increasingly vulnerable to displacement, the cycle of reprisals shows little sign of abating, raising urgent questions about governance and accountability in Africa’s most populous nation.