Last Night We Didn't Sleep, On Each Bike, There Were Men With Rifles, They were Shooting - Witness

A resident of Rantya community in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, John Mancha, has recounted a violent overnight attack allegedly carried out by suspected armed men that left at least two vigilante members dead. 

The incident reportedly happened on Wednesday night and was later confirmed in a report by LEADERSHIP on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Mancha said the attackers stormed the community in large numbers, sparking panic among residents. He explained that more than 100 armed men were involved in the assault, arriving in groups on motorcycles. 

The sudden incursion, he noted, immediately threw the community into chaos as people fled in different directions for safety.

He further stated that the attackers tried to push into Rantya through the Rangarasa axis, a boundary route linking the community with neighbouring areas. 

As they moved in, they reportedly fired shots sporadically, forcing residents to abandon their homes and run into nearby bushes and other safe locations to avoid being caught in the exchange.

According to him, local vigilante members quickly assembled to confront the attackers, but they were outmatched due to the superior numbers and firepower of the gunmen. 

The clash ultimately led to the killing of two vigilante operatives before the attackers withdrew from the area.

Mancha described the night as one filled with fear and tension, noting that residents remained awake as gunshots rang out across different parts of Rantya.

He said:

“Last night in Rantya, we did not sleep. We saw the attackers. They came on motorcycles. 

On each motorcycle, there were three or four men carrying rifles. They were shooting and trying to enter the Rantya community from the Rangarasa axis bordering the area.”

Residents have since called for stronger security deployment in the area to prevent further attacks and restore a sense of safety in the troubled community.