A wave of violence struck Plateau State on Sunday as unidentified gunmen launched coordinated attacks on several communities, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 21 lives and numerous injuries.
The affected areas include Rim, Jol, and Kwi communities in Riyom Local Government Area (LGA), as well as Gana-Ropp community in Barkin Ladi LGA.
The assailants targeted Rim village, claiming the lives of two individuals, while seven people were killed in Jol and eleven in Kwi, all within the confines of Riyom LGA.
Additionally, Rev. Nichodemus Kim, a clergyman from the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), fell victim to the violence in Gana-Ropp community.
Reports indicate that the attacks on Rim, Jol, and Kwi were meticulously planned and executed simultaneously, taking place between the hours of 2 PM and 7 PM.
Disturbingly, the entire Hei-gwe community in Kwi was razed to the ground, and over a hundred farmlands were destroyed.
In the case of the assault on Gana-Ropp, Rev. Nichodemus Kim was attacked and shot at his residence around 8 PM. The motive behind these ruthless attacks remains unclear.
Expressing concern over the situation, Comrade Rwang Tengwong, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), drew attention to the continuous onslaught endured by communities such as Rim, Jol, and Kwi in recent weeks.
Tengwong expressed disappointment that the Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven-OPSH, did not intervene during the prolonged attacks.
Tengwong further voiced his frustration, stating, “Mahanga, the base of those terrorizing these communities, is known, yet no effort has been made by security personnel to raid the place.”
He also highlighted the lack of effective action by the Special Task Force over the past decade in addressing the persistent killings in the state.
In response to the devastating incidents, the BYM, led by Solomon Dalyop Mwantiri, unequivocally condemned the coordinated attacks and other forms of provocation against innocent people in Plateau State since the 2023 general elections.
The association called on the new administrations at both the federal and state levels to devise new strategies to address the alarming security situation across the country, with specific attention to Plateau State.
Furthermore, the BYM urged security forces to fulfill their duty of safeguarding lives and property.
While urging the Berom community to remain calm and law-abiding, the BYM called upon its members to explore all possible means of defending their communities, emphasizing that they cannot idly stand by while their people are continuously targeted and killed.
