BYM Demands Justice as 2 Farmers Killed, 114 Cattle Rustled in Plateau
Our Reporter
The Berom Youth Moulders-Association, BYM, has called for decisive security action following the killing of two farmers and the rustling of 114 cattle in Plateau State.
In a statement issued in Jos by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, the group said the attacks occurred in Riyom and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas between October 6 and 13.
According to the statement, Berom farmers lost 114 cattle in Wereng, Riyom LGA.
The incident, BYM alleged, involved armed men from the Fass and Mahanga axis and led to the death of 42-year-old Mr. David Danjuma.
In a separate attack on October 13 in Tafan, Barkin Ladi LGA, 48-year-old Mr. James Joro Dung was killed and two of his cattle were shot dead.
BYM alleged the assailants came from a settlement in Lugere and described the attackers as “Radical Islamic Fulani Terrorists.”
The youth group has consistently used the term to describe armed groups involved in attacks on Plateau communities.
Condemning the killings, BYM President Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri warned that communities should not be left with only condolences.
Innocent civilians across Plateau communities deserve more than condolences and statistics, the association said, adding that they deserve protection, justice and the freedom to live and farm without fear.
They commended the Federal Government for establishing Department of State Services (DSS) forward operating bases in vulnerable communities and called for sustained funding, equipping and expansion of the camps.
BYM also renewed its call for buffer zones to separate farming communities from grazing routes and protect farmlands, especially as harvest season approaches.
They also urged security agencies to shift from reactive responses to proactive, intelligence-led operations against identified camps and networks, stressing the need to prevent regrouping after attacks.
It advocated for increased surveillance and patrols along ambush-prone routes with functional emergency lines, deployment of personnel to secure farmlands ahead of harvest, thorough investigation into the killings of Danjuma and Dung with recovery of the 114 cattle and prosecution of suspects, and regular public briefings on investigations to counter misinformation.
The association called on residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious movements to security agencies and avoid reprisal attacks.
Recall that Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos and Mangu have witnessed recurring attacks in recent years, with hundreds killed and farmlands destroyed across these five Local Government Areas.
As at press time, the Plateau State Police Command and Operation Safe Haven had yet to release an official statement on the latest incidents.
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