Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have confirmed the discovery of the body of a man brutally hacked to death on the outskirts of Torok community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Security sources said soldiers from Sector 6 of the operation moved to the scene after receiving a distress report from locals who stumbled on the corpse along a bush path used by farmers and miners on the fringes of the village.

The victim was identified as Mr Toma Chuwang, a resident of Torok and a known artisanal miner in the area. Community members said he had been missing for some time, prompting quiet concern among relatives who initially assumed he might have travelled for work.

Preliminary findings by security personnel indicate that Chuwang was allegedly attacked by yet-to-be-identified assailants suspected to be armed herders while returning from a nearby mining site. The attackers were said to have used machetes, leaving deep cuts across his body.

A security source who spoke on condition of anonymity disclosed that the corpse was already in an advanced state of decomposition when troops arrived, suggesting that the killing occurred several days before it was discovered.

“Upon arrival at the location, troops confirmed the corpse of Mr Toma Chuwang with multiple machete cuts on the body. The condition of the corpse indicates that it had already started decomposing,” the source said.

Soldiers subsequently evacuated the remains from the scene and handed them over to community leaders and relevant authorities. The body was later taken for formal documentation and burial arrangements by the family.

Security agencies have opened an investigation into the killing, focusing on the route between the mining site and the village, which residents say has become increasingly unsafe due to sporadic attacks and ambushes.

According to security sources, efforts are ongoing to gather intelligence from locals, vigilante groups and other stakeholders that could help identify the perpetrators and establish a clear motive for the attack.

The killing has heightened tension in Torok and neighbouring communities in Riyom, an area that has witnessed recurring violence over land use, grazing routes and farming activities. Community leaders are calling for increased patrols and a more visible security presence to deter further attacks and reassure residents who depend on farming and mining for their livelihood.