26 killed, 80 houses razed in Plateau fresh attacks

The National Caretaker Chairman of the Berom Youth Movement (BYM) Rwas Rwang Dalyop Dantong has cried on to the federal government to come and rescue Berom people from the hand of insurgents who have been terrorizing Plateau North senatorial zone of Plateau state.

According to Dantong, “The series of attacks commenced on the 2nd of October and has continued on daily basis.
He said, “The major attacks were preceded with silent killings of innocent farmers on their farms. We cried to the security agencies but nothing was done. Now the attackers have made it a daily attack. Since the last ten days, we have recovered at least 26 bodies from the various communities attacked by the insurgents.”
The insurgents numbering about 400, allegedly divided themselves into 3 groups and are attacking the villages from all directions.
In a statement released by the BYM yesterday in Jos and signed by the acting national chairman of the BYM, Mr Rwang Dantong reads, “We wish to, on behalf of the entire Berom Youths, condemn in strong term the persistent and systematic attacks on Bachi district of Riyom local government council by Fulani herdsmen.
“This is an open declaration of war on Berom people for no justifiable reason.
“These consistent attacks have been going on daily, since the 2nd of October. Within the period, the gunmen have attacked at least ten villages killing 26 people. The villages are Lwa, Shonong, Fang, Dum, Chengye, Rakweng, Diyan, Rachi and Sharbutu.
“The casualties so far are; 7 killed in Lwa, 3 killed in Fang, 2 killed in Dum, 3 killed in Sharbutu, 2 STF staff killed, 1 killed in Chengye, 6 killed in Shonong, 1 killed in Rachi.
“Among those killed was a pregnant woman in Lwa village who was expected to be wedded in a week time. Over 60 houses were burnt in the attack including that of late Senator Gyang Dantong. 20 houses were burnt down in Lwa village including a Church Pastorium.
“It is quite worrisome that the insurgents have been identified as the Fulani herdsmen that are living within our communities. They launched the attacks and get back to their homes unharmed. The next day they would go to attack yet another village. It is an organized ethnic cleansing of the Berom tribe.
“We can only cry out to the federal government to come to the rescue of our people and stop these attacks on innocent citizens. We are also calling on the special task force to rise up to the occasion and restore peace immediately.
“There is the need to chase out these terrorists from our communities if peace must return to the areas, the gunmen have killed 26 people in 10 days of consistent attack.
“We commend the executive chairman of Riyom local government, Hon. Mrs. Josephine Piyo for constantly mobilizing security agencies to the scene of attacks. We therefore called on all stakeholders to join hands with the council boss to chase these terrorists out of our communities.
Few months ago, the Berom youths raised alarm that they had discovered training camps of some insurgents in Riyom Local governments. The youths called on security agencies for help over alleged plans by armed Fulani militants to launch fresh attacks on some lists of villages.
The concerned villagers said they have discovered a training camp of unknown gunmen behind a rocky hill in Rim near Riyom.
According to the villagers, “The alarm became necessary so as to attract security agencies to come to our aid in protection, the whole of Bachit district is under serious risk of gunmen attack if nothing is done to improve security surveillance in the areas”
A member of a vigilante group in Riyom Dangyang Bulus said, “We discovered their plans because one of the Fulani living with us was invited to join them in their training camp, that one deceived them by telling them he would go home and prepare to join them later but refused to go back to the camp.