Headless body found on UNIJOS farmland

Panic hit the University of Jos (UNIJOS) community on Tuesday after a headless body of a middle-aged man was found on farmland within the school grounds.

Pius Atok, a 300-level student from the university, shared details of the finding with Vanguard newspaper.

"The body was found this morning on a farm around the university community. From what we gathered, the victim was neither a student nor a member of staff of the university," Atok said.

A senior official from the university, who spoke on condition of anonymity, mentioned that early findings showed the deceased was a farmer known for working on the land.

"The victim is neither a student nor staff. He is known to people around because he usually comes to farm here. We think he arrived very early this morning, like he usually does.

"What happened is still unclear, but from the look of the attack, it seems those responsible came specifically to kill him and took his head," the official added.

This official also stated that the victim's family had been informed and plans were being made to remove the body. The university's management is aware of the situation and will provide an official statement through its Information Directorate.

Attempts by PREMIUM TIMES to reach the police spokesperson, Alfred Alabo, for comments were unsuccessful. He did not respond to calls and messages before this report was completed.

This incident comes as security worries grow in Plateau State. PREMIUM TIMES reported on July 3 that troops from Operation Enduring Peace stopped an attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, killing one suspected attacker. The military later announced more arrests related to the incident as investigations went on.

This discovery also follows several deadly attacks in Plateau, including the July 13 attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area, where gunmen killed nine family members, including a two-month-old baby. This highlights ongoing security issues in parts of the state.