Twenty-one individuals, including a prominent cleric, lost their lives on Sunday night, June 11, 2023, in Riyom and Barking Local Government Areas of Plateau State.
The attacks were carried out by a group of armed assailants who invaded the communities under the cover of darkness, catching the unsuspecting residents off guard.
The horrifying incidents occurred shortly after two herders were fatally shot in Fa's village in Riyom LGA earlier on the same day. The victims, identified as Adam Ahmad (33) and Musa Ibrahim (23), were returning home from tending to their cattle when they were ambushed. Both men succumbed to their injuries, leaving behind grieving families.
Alabo Alfred, the spokesperson for the state police command, confirmed these distressing incidents, assuring the public that security forces are diligently handling the situation. The authorities have launched an investigation into the attacks, aiming to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Expressing deep concern over the senseless violence, Bello Tafawa, Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Riyom LGA, condemned the unprovoked attacks on their members. He reported the cases to the relevant security agencies, including Operation Safe Haven, a multi-security task force responsible for maintaining peace in Plateau State. Tafawa emphasised the community's commitment to upholding the rule of law, urging others not to take matters into their own hands.
The casualties
Rwang Tengwong, National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Movement (BYM), verified the attacks on the affected communities. He disclosed that two individuals were killed in Rim village of Riyom Local Government Area, seven in Jol, eleven in Kwi, and a revered clergyman, Reverend Nicodemus Kim, lost his life in Gana-Ropp Barkin Ladi LGA. Tengwong revealed that the coordinated assaults occurred between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. In Kwi, the entire community of Hei-gwe was ravaged, and over a hundred farmlands were obliterated.
The BYM, deeply troubled by the escalating security situation, called upon both the federal and state governments to devise new strategies to address the ongoing crisis. They emphasised the crucial role of security personnel in safeguarding lives and property, urging them to fulfill their duties diligently.
Plateau State has become a battleground for retaliatory attacks between pastoralist and farming communities, with a recent surge in violent reprisals. In May, scores of innocent lives were lost in Mangu Local Government following suspected herder attacks on villages in the area.