THE apex body of Berom Youths Moulders Association (BYM), has raised an alarm over the killing of over twenty-one (21) persons in Riyom and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of Plateau State by Fulani militias shortly after Church Service, injuring many and destroying over forty (40) houses.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of BYM, Rwang Tengwong, and made available to THE NIGERIA STANDARD in Jos, the Plateau State capital Monday, following the mass invasion of communities and villages of Riyom and Barkin-Ladi local government areas last Sunday.
The statement said, “following the mass invasions of communities and villages of Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs, Plateau State, twenty one (21) persons have been reportedly killed, many injured and over 40 houses razed down shortly after Sunday Service by fulani militias and their cohorts on Sunday, 11th June, 2023.
“Places attacked include Rim, Jol, Kwi and Tashek of Riyom LGA as well as Gana-Ropp community in Barkin Ladi LGA. Accordingly, two (2) persons were killed in Rim Community, six (6) in Jol, Eleven (11) in Kwi while a Clegy, Rev. Nichodemus Kim and son were killed in Gana-Ropp of Barkin Ladi LGA.
“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”, the statement disclosed.
According to the National Publicity Secretary, “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 2.00 pm and 8:00 pm”.
He, however, revealed that, the sophistry of their weapons incomparably overpowered the Vigilante in Kwi, thereby resulting to the complete burnt done of Hei-gwe village and over a hundred farmlands destroyed saying, “more worrisome is the fact that Mahanga and Fass which are the base of those terrorising these Communities are known, yet, no drastic measures have been made by the appropriate authorities concerned to de-radicalise 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 government´s primary responsibility, safeguarding lives and property. The BYM under the leadership of 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 to, as a matter of urgency, rise up to the occasion with new strategies to address the security situation in the country and particularly, Plateau State so as to forestall further degenerative tendencies of the said Fulani militias that have heavily infiltrated the State and its environs”, it stated.
Meanwhile, BYM, has passionately urged the security personnel to also wake up to their statutory responsibility to safeguard lives and property and called on the Berom nation to remain calm and law abiding in all these, but must explore every avenue to defend their communities as they could not sit and watch while being killed one after another.
