Clergy, Son, 19 Others Killed In Fresh Plateau Attacks

A Christian clergy, his son and Nineteen persons have been reportedly killed in mass invasions of communities and villages of Riyom and Barkin Ladi local government areas of Plateau State.

The attacks also left many injured, over 40 houses razed down and over a hundred farmlands destroyed by Fulani militias and their cohorts on Sunday, 11th June 2023.

A Youth group known as Berom Youth Moulders (BYM) in a Press statement signed and issued on Monday Evening by the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Rwang Tengwong, said Places attacked include Rim, Jol, Kwi and Tashek of Riyom LGA as well as Gana-Ropp Community in Barkin Ladi LGA.

The group decried the incessant coordinated attacks on the communities, noting that information at their disposal indicates that two (2) persons were killed in Rim Community, six (6) in Jol, Eleven (11) in Kwi while a Clergy, Rev. Nicodemus Kim and son were killed in Gana-Ropp Barkin Ladi LGA.

“The shocking fact about the attacks on Rim, Jol and Kwi as well as Tashek were simultaneously carried out by over Two Thousand armed Militias who hailed from Fass, Guava, Rankum (Mahanga) and Bangai of Riyom LGA between the hours of 2 pm and 8:00 pm.

“It is with great concern that these Communities especially, Rim, Jol and Kwi have come under several attacks in the last two weeks. Perplexingly, Sunday’s attack went on for hours, overstretching the inadequate personnel of Sector 6 of Operation Safe Haven-OPSH in their rapid response.

“More worrisome is the fact that Mahanga and Fass which are the base of those terrorizing these communities are known, yet, no drastic measures have been made by the appropriate authorities concerned to clamp down on the yet-to-be declared terrorist enclaves.

“This has left us with concerns and questions as to whether or not Federal Security can nip the ongoing genocide in the bud since that is the Government’s primary responsibility of safeguarding lives and property.

“The BYM under the leadership of Barr. Solomon Dalyop Mwantiri, Esq. hereby condemns the coordinated attacks and other forms of provocation meted out on innocent persons of Plateau since after the 2023 General Elections.

“We, therefore call on the new administration both at Federal and State levels too, as a matter of urgency, rise to the occasion with new strategies to address the security situation in the country and particularly, Plateau State to forestall further degenerative tendencies of the said Fulani militias that have heavily infiltrated the State and its environs.

“Security personnel must also wake up to their statutory responsibility to safeguard lives and property.

“The BYM equally call on the Berom nation to remain calm and law-abiding in all these but must explore every avenue to defend our Communities as we cannot sit and watch while being killed one after another”.