Local youth leaders say the attack fits a pattern of violence affecting farming communities and rural travel routes in central Nigeria.
By Lawrence Zongo
William J. Murray, president of the U.S.-based Religious Freedom Coalition, has called for prayers for the family of John Telle Danjuma, a Christian worker reported killed while traveling near Miango in Plateau State, north-central Nigeria, according to information shared with TruthNigeria.
In a written statement, Murray said Danjuma worked at the Miango Rest Home, a Christian retreat facility that hosts pastors, missionaries, and church workers. He said Danjuma was killed in an attack he attributed to armed groups associated with Fulani herder communities.
Miango is located in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State on the Jos Plateau, a highland region in central Nigeria. The area lies northwest of Jos, the state capital, and consists of farming settlements, scattered villages, and rural roads linking agricultural communities.
The Fulani are a large ethnic group found across West and Central Africa, including Nigeria. Many are traditionally pastoralists, and a significant proportion are Muslim. In parts of central Nigeria, some armed groups operating within rural grazing and farming corridors have been linked by local accounts and authorities to violent attacks, although the Fulani community as a whole is not uniformly associated with such activities.
The Irigwe are an indigenous ethnic group located mainly in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State and part of Southern Kaduna State. They are predominantly agrarian, with farming as a central part of local livelihoods. In recent years, communities in Irigwe areas and neighbouring settlements have experienced recurring cycles of violence, with competing accounts from different groups regarding responsibility and motives.
Murray said Danjuma’s death had affected his family, colleagues, and the wider Miango Rest Home community. He called for prayers for the deceased’s wife and child, as well as for staff and others working in areas affected by insecurity in Plateau State.
The Miango Rest Home is described by local Christian organisations as a long-established retreat centre used by church workers for rest, training, and fellowship. It is located within Miango town and receives visitors from different parts of Nigeria engaged in religious and humanitarian activities.
In a separate statement, the Spokesman of Miango Youth Development Association (MYDA), Agara Weyi, said Danjuma served as its Director of Socials. The group said he was killed on June 24, 2026, around the Gyu area near Twins Hill while travelling along a rural route and was buried July 1st according to Christian rite, TruthNigeria reporter was at the burial.
Weyi said he had been sworn into office about two months earlier and was active in community development activities. It said he left behind a wife and a young child.
The association described the killing as part of a pattern of terrorism affecting several communities in the area. It called for increased government intervention, improved security deployment, and investigations into repeated incidents reported across Bassa Local Government Area, Agara said 10 of its members were killed within a week by Fulani Militias through ambush
He also said Danjuma was attacked along a road commonly used by farmers, commuters, and traders moving between villages and markets. Residents in the area have reported continued concerns about safety on rural routes.
Sunday Gado, Chairman of the Miango Youth Development Association (MYDA), said he was informed of the incident by the District Police Officer following the attack. He added that medical personnel in Jos later confirmed the death of the victim before the body was transferred to a mortuary.
Gado said the incident had deeply affected the community and called for increased patrols along rural roads. He also referenced other violent incidents reported in parts of Plateau State.
A church service was held at ECWA Gospel Church in Miango in honour of Danjuma. Rev. Emmanuel Benedict Zamfara, manager of the Miango Rest Home, described him as a committed member of the community and acknowledged his service at the facility.
Family members, church leaders, and residents attended the service, where prayers were offered for the bereaved family and for communities affected by ongoing insecurity in the region.
Ezekiel Bini, national president of the Irigwe ethnic group, also issued a statement addressing wider violence in Plateau State. He denied allegations linking members of his community to attacks on Fulani groups and referenced past incidents affecting Irigwe settlements.
Bini said Fulani Militias killed over 2000 Christians since 2016 and 31 killed in the month of June he also said “the Fulani damage our farmland and crops, worth Millions of Naira. Benin said Fulani are killing us mainly to take over our land and make us die hungry. “We are not killing Fulani, if we have any opportunity to killed Fulani we are going to killed more than 2000, this will stop the killing” Bini call on Donald Trump to equip local vigilante in Plateau State to defend there community than sending American Soldiers to an unknown place in Nigeria.
In a press release dated June 25, 2026, MYDA reiterated its call for investigations, increased security presence, and long-term measures to protect rural communities and travel routes.
Authorities have not issued a comprehensive public report on the attack by the Fulani Militia. The circumstances remain based on statements from community organisations, local leaders, and religious groups.
Plateau State continues to experience periodic insecurity affecting farming communities, rural roads, and trade routes. In areas such as Miango, residents report ongoing concerns about safe movement between villages, farms, and nearby towns.
Lawrence Zongo is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
