Leadership of Plateau State Youth Council (PYC) addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Jos
By CHRISTIANA LOT, Jos
Plateau State Youth Council (PYC), Riyom Branch, has raised the alarm over what it described as a sustained campaign of coordinated violence by armed Fulani militias, which has left at least 58 people dead and displaced more than 15,000 residents in recent weeks.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the PYC Chairman, Comrade Zang Kefas Davou, said the series of attacks had plunged communities into mourning and desperation, describing the situation as a “catastrophic humanitarian crisis” that has persisted since 2002 but recently escalated with chilling brutality.
“Within this short period, 58 innocent people were brutally murdered in cold blood. These were fathers, mothers, children, and youths whose lives were cut short without mercy. As I address you, these marauders are in possession of the cellphones of some of their victims and pick up calls that are placed on their SIMs,” he stated.
In addition to the deaths, Davou said 31 people sustained severe injuries, many of whom are currently hospitalized and lacking adequate care. He added that 82 homes and properties worth millions of naira had been deliberately destroyed, while entire farmlands were decimated, leaving families without shelter, food, or livelihoods.
“The consequence of this recent surge of violence alone has led to the displacement of more than 15,000 people, who are now living in precarious conditions, without shelter, food, or dignity,” the youth leader lamented.
While acknowledging the efforts of security agencies, the Council said the government’s response remained grossly inadequate and far below the scale of devastation, urging a shift from reactive to preventive deployment of security forces.
“The primary responsibility of government… is the protection of lives and property, and the welfare of its citizens. In Riyom, this fundamental responsibility is being severely challenged,” he said.
The PYC issued seven demands, including permanent deployment of security forces, full return and rehabilitation of displaced persons, urgent humanitarian aid, justice for victims, and immediate return of all allegedly grabbed ancestral lands.
“Land is not just property; it is our identity, our heritage, and our future. Let it be on record that we are not and we will not at any time be willing to part away with an inch of our land no matter the high sophistication of the terror,” Davou declared.
Calling on the Nigerian government, the international community, human rights bodies, and the global media to act urgently, the Council said the people of Riyom have shown remarkable patience but are being pushed to the
edge.
