A Sunday attack in Plateau State has left two Christian evangelists dead after armed men opened fire on them during a gospel outreach in the Gwon community of Riyom Local Government Area.
The victims were part of an evangelism team preaching in the Rim District when they were ambushed by gunmen who emerged from nearby rocky terrain and shot them at close range, according to Solomon Dalyop, President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYMA).
The assailants reportedly continued shooting into the village before being pushed back by a combined response from local vigilantes and the military task force. The attackers later retreated into the hills.
Dalyop condemned the recurring violence in the area and called on the government and security agencies to step up efforts in protecting communities like Riyom, which he said has suffered repeated attacks for years. He also expressed residents’ frustration over what he described as a lack of effective security presence, allowing such assaults to continue with impunity.
Later that same day, while residents gathered to bury the two evangelists, another attack was reported in the nearby Bachit community. A man was shot and killed during the incident, further fueling fears of growing insecurity in the region.
Meanwhile, in Borno State, two boys abducted by Boko Haram three years ago have escaped captivity and returned safely to Maiduguri.
Ayuba Ishaku, 13, and Yakubu Haruna, 12, both from Mandaragrau village in Biu Local Government Area, arrived at the Ite Divisional Police Headquarters on Friday evening, July 11. The boys shared their story with police officials after their escape.
According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, who shared their account on social media, the boys were kidnapped along with their parents. While the parents were released after being deemed too weak to travel, the children were taken deeper into insurgent-controlled areas.
The boys were transported alongside seven adult captives to a Boko Haram camp in Mangari, Tumbun Mota, within the Baga axis of Kukawa Local Government Area. The adults were reportedly trained, armed, and deployed in operations under the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), while the children were used as domestic aides and taught how to maintain firearms, though they were not sent into combat.
The Borno State Police Command confirmed the development and stated that the children have undergone full debriefing following their return.
These incidents underscore Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges in both the Middle Belt and Northeast, raising renewed concerns over the safety of civilians in conflict-prone regions.