*Demands urgent action
BY HOSEA NYAMLONG
The Berom in Diaspora Coalition (BDC), in conjunction with the Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO), Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), Berom Women Development Association (BEWDA) and the Berom Elders Council (BEC), has called the attention of the international community to what it describes as the prolonged genocide of its people.
In a speech delivered at a World Press Conference held at the Bishop’s Court in Jos, signed by Dr. J. C. Lomak, Chairman, Research and Documentation Committee, Berom Diaspora Coalition, and read by Barnabas Dazih, they lamented the continued violence and called on government to urgently arrest the situation.
He emphasized that the organisations were working together to address issues affecting the Berom people, including violence, land grabbing, human-rights violations and the continued brutal killings of innocent Berom people and their neighbours in Plateau State and beyond.
He added that the victims were not only from Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South and Jos North, but also from surrounding local government areas including Mangu, Bokkos, Bassa, Plateau Central and Plateau South.
“The Berom people are a minority ethnic group in central Nigeria, with an estimated population of 2.6 million,” he explained.
He noted that they were indigenous to West Africa and historically known for iron works due to tin availability.
He recalled that “Historically, they resisted the Borno Empire, Queen Amina of Zazzau, and Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio’s Fulani Jihad.”
Dazih lamented: “Since 2001, Fulani militants have attacked Berom communities, resulting in thousands of deaths, displacement and destruction of properties worth billions of naira.”
He added that the attacks were part of “a long-standing plan to reduce the Berom population, deny them political representation, and occupy their land.”
The spokesman further disclosed that Fan District in Barakin Ladi LGA and Gyel in Jos South had recently come under repeated attacks, with homes invaded, farmlands destroyed and villagers killed.
He noted that the Berom people had been subjected to cattle rustling, land grabbing and gruesome killings, resulting in widespread impoverishment.
Dazih stated that over 10,000 Berom people had been killed and 151 communities displaced.
He added that casualty figures in Riyom LGA alone were in thousands, with several neighbouring communities also affected.
The BDC condemned what it described as the “continued silence and inaction” of the authorities concerned, claiming that such inaction allowed “Fulani terrorists” to kill indigenous people without consequences.
They demanded justice, accountability and protection for the Berom people.
He said three prominent individuals — Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, Mr. Masara Kim and Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri — were under threat from Fulani bandits for exposing genocide and aggression in Berom land.
The Berom nation called on the international community and the federal, state and local governments to urgently increase security for vulnerable communities.
They urged the Federal Government to declare Fulani militants as terrorists and conduct military operations to flush them out as they were aggressors.
BDC demanded prosecution of perpetrators, the implementation of long-term peace and security measures and the release of ₦10 billion as compensation for displaced persons and victims’ families.
They declared: “The Berom people will continue to pursue peace through lawful means, but they demand justice for the dead, the displaced and future generations.”
They called on the Federal Government and the international community to act urgently to save them from the hands of their aggresors.