Plateau: Five months of violence claims 200 lives, youth coalition claims
By Golok Nanmwa, JOS
Every fresh dawn in many rural communities across Plateau State begins with one haunting question – Who will be the next victim?
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For hundreds of families in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, Bassa, Mangu and other flashpoints, the past five months have been defined by recurring attacks, mass burials, displacement and shattered livelihoods.
Children in some of these rural communities now go to school in fear.
Farmers who once depended on fertile lands for survival have abandoned their farms for fear of being ambushed.
Entire communities have become ghost settlements, while widows, orphans and the elderly struggle to rebuild lives repeatedly disrupted by violence.
Recent attacks
Within the last five months, Plateau State has witnessed several deadly attacks, including
April 2026 (Palm Sunday): Gunmen attacked communities in Barkin Ladi, leaving scores of residents dead and several homes destroyed.
June 2026: Fresh attacks were recorded in communities across Barkin Ladi and neighbouring Riyom Local Government Area, resulting in multiple deaths and renewed displacement.
July 4, 2026 – Three vigilante operatives were killed during an attack on Sabon Layi community in Barkin Ladi.
The latest attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area, where nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed, has once again drawn national attention to the worsening security situation in Plateau State.
Residents said the attack lasted for more than an hour as armed assailants invaded the communities late at night, shooting indiscriminately, while terrified villagers fled into surrounding bushes.
By dawn, homes had become mourning centres, and another mass burial loomed.
The village head also sustained critical injuries and was rushed to hospital, while scores of survivors were left counting their losses.
The latest killings have reinforced calls by indigenous youth organisations for a more robust military response and echoed concerns over what they described as the continued occupation of communities by armed groups.
The renewed concern also followed a strongly worded press statement issued by the Coalition of Plateau State Indigenous Youth Nationalities, comprising Afizere, Anaguta, Atakar, Atten, Berom, Irigwe, Kunlere, Mushere, Mwaghavul, Pan and Ron youth associations.
The coalition described the situation as a humanitarian tragedy that has devastated communities across Plateau.
Addressing journalists in Jos, leader of the coalition, Barrister Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, said Plateau had endured years of bloodshed, displacement and destruction that have left deep scars on the people.
“Our communities have become theatres of bloodshed; our ancestral lands have been violently invaded; our villages reduced to desolation; our farms abandoned; our economic life strangulated; and thousands of our people condemned to lives of displacement, fear and uncertainty.”
According to the coalition, generations that ought to be building prosperous communities have instead been forced to bury loved ones, flee their ancestral homes and struggle merely to survive.
About 200 killed in five months
One of the strongest claims contained in the coalition’s statement was that no fewer than 200 persons were reportedly killed around the Barkin Ladi axis within the last five months before the deployment of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to the area in May 2026.
The claim could not be independently verified by our correspondent.
According to the coalition, attacks had become almost routine before the intelligence agency established an operational camp in Barkin Ladi.
The youths argued that the deployment represented a turning point for residents who had lived under the shadow of persistent attacks.
“For a people who have lived under the shadow of incessant attacks and rain of terror, it represented more than a security deployment; it symbolised renewed hope.”
The coalition further claimed that sustained intelligence-driven operations by the DSS contributed to a noticeable reduction in attacks in parts of Barkin Ladi.
It commended the security agency for what it described as professionalism and operational effectiveness in confronting criminal elements operating in the area.
Backing intelligence-led security operations
The indigenous youth organisations also defended ongoing intelligence-led operations by security agencies.
The coalition expressed concern over allegations recently made against DSS personnel operating around Kwok, popularly known as “Ruga Ajalo.”
While insisting that allegations against security personnel should never be ignored, the youths cautioned against treating unverified claims as established facts.
“Allegations of misconduct against any security agency must never be dismissed. Such weighty accusations deserve prompt, impartial and transparent investigation in accordance with the law.
“However, sensational allegations must never be elevated to established facts without evidence.”
According to the coalition, misinformation and propaganda capable of distracting security agencies could undermine ongoing operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks.
The youths stressed that professional security agencies often undertake intelligence-driven operations whose details may not immediately be available to the public, warning against speculation capable of weakening legitimate efforts to secure vulnerable communities.
The coalition further claimed that shortly after allegations against DSS personnel gained public attention, fresh attacks were again recorded in neighbouring communities, reinforcing concerns that criminal elements often exploit distractions to regroup.
It urged security agencies not to relent in their constitutional responsibility of protecting innocent citizens.
“The blood of our people demands more than expressions of sympathy. It demands justice. It demands courage. It demands sustained action.
“Our ancestral lands must no longer remain killing fields. Our communities must no longer be sacrificed on the altar of impunity.
“The era in which terrorists dictate the rhythm of life in Plateau State must come to an end.”
The coalition called on the Federal Government, Plateau State Government, security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society organisations and residents to unite in confronting terrorism, banditry and violent criminality.
It also recommended the expansion of intelligence-led security deployments beyond Barkin Ladi to other vulnerable local government areas, including Riyom, Bokkos, Bassa, Mangu, Jos South, Kanam and Qua’an Pan.
The youths maintained that intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration and sustained operational presence remain the most effective strategy for protecting vulnerable communities and restoring public confidence.
Mutfwang urges Army to treat Plateau attacks as combat operations, not peacekeeping
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has urged the Nigerian Army to treat the security challenges confronting Plateau and other parts of the country as combat operations against enemies of the state rather than conventional peacekeeping missions.
The governor made the call on Thursday during a farewell ceremony in honour of the outgoing General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, and the reception for his successor, Major General Williams Maxwell Dangana, in Jos.
Mutfwang described insecurity in Plateau, the North-Central and other troubled parts of the country as an existential threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty, insisting that it requires a more decisive military response.
“My perspective on the security challenges in Nigeria is that our armed forces must see their duty not as a peacekeeping force but as protecting the sovereignty of Nigeria against enemies of the state.
“What we are confronting today is an existential threat to the sovereignty of Nigeria. Whether it is in the North-East, the North-West or the North-Central, we are dealing with people who want to destabilise the country, and we cannot afford to allow that.”
Mutfwang commended Oyinlola for his leadership during his 18-month tour of duty, noting that despite security challenges, Plateau had continued to attract investors, tourists and visitors.
He assured the incoming GOC of the state government’s full cooperation and urged him to build on the achievements of his predecessor while strengthening civil-military relations.
Earlier, Oyinlola disclosed that although he was responsible for five states under the 3 Division’s area of responsibility — Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba , about 95 per cent of his attention during his 18-month tenure was devoted to Plateau because of its peculiar security challenges.
“I can assure you that 95 per cent of my 18 months in command was devoted to issues in Plateau State. It was almost as if I was not the GOC for the other states.
The outgoing GOC thanked Governor Mutfwang for what he described as unwavering support throughout his tenure, saying it contributed significantly to the successes recorded by the military.
Meanwhile, the Plateau State Police Command has arrested two suspected arms traffickers for alleged illegal possession and sale of firearms, recovering a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, another rifle, two magazines and 29 rounds of ammunition.
The Command disclosed this in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, in Jos.
The Command said the suspects are currently in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where investigations are ongoing to uncover the source of the firearms and identify other members of the alleged arms trafficking network.
The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Bassey Ewah, warned members of the public against illegal possession, sale and use of firearms, describing such activities as a serious threat to public safety and security.
He reiterated the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and sustaining efforts to dismantle criminal networks across the state.
Vanguard News
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