Following persistent attacks and killings of natives in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State (the Berom), the Plateau Youth Council (PYC) Riyom chapter addressed a press conference in Jos on Monday, accusing Fulani elements of perpetrating heinous acts against its people, leading to the death of their kinsmen.
The Riyom PYC President, Comrade Zang Kefas Davou, in a four-page press statement, explained that 58 persons were killed within 40 days, 31 injured, and over 15,000 people displaced. “We demand the immediate arrest, thorough investigation, and diligent prosecution of all perpetrators of those heinous crimes who are well-known persons,” he stated. “They are Fulani,” he added while responding to questions.
According to Comrade Davou, the Fulani are using sophisticated weapons to kill and chase their people from their ancestral lands. “In one of the attacks, armed uniform personnel had to retreat from the scene due to the magnitude of the weapons the Fulani were using,” he alleged.
Comrade Davou said the youth are running out of patience. “The youth of Riyom are resilient, but our resilience is being tested to its limits. We are tired of burying our loved ones whose lives are cut short by armed Fulani militias,” he said. He further explained their agony: “We are tired of seeing our heritage destroyed and annihilated. We are tired of living in fear.”
The group called on the government at all levels to come to their aid, warning that if the government fails to protect them, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution, they might resort to self-help. “We are law-abiding citizens, but if the government feels the issues are beyond them, we will defend our land,” they stated.
Riyom Local Government Area, a gateway to Plateau State from Abuja and Nasarawa State, has suffered persistent attacks over two decades, losing lives and economic resources.
