The Coalition of Plateau State Indigenous Youth Nationalities has claimed that no fewer than 200 people have been killed in violent attacks across parts of Plateau State over the past five months, urging the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to end the bloodshed.
The coalition, which represents several indigenous ethnic youth groups in the state, made the claim during a press briefing in Jos, describing the ongoing attacks as a humanitarian crisis that has left many communities devastated.
According to the group, residents of Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, Bassa, Mangu and other affected local government areas have endured repeated attacks, mass burials, displacement and the destruction of homes and livelihoods. It noted that many farmers have abandoned their farmlands due to fear of attacks, while children now attend school under constant fear.
The coalition cited a series of deadly incidents recorded in recent months, including attacks during Palm Sunday in April, renewed violence in June, the killing of three vigilante members in Sabon Layi on July 4, and the recent 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 reportedly killed.
Residents said the latest attack lasted for more than an hour as heavily armed assailants invaded the communities at night, forcing villagers to flee into nearby bushes. The village head was also seriously injured, while several homes were destroyed.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, its leader, Barrister Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, lamented what he described as years of bloodshed, displacement and destruction across Plateau communities.
He said ancestral lands had been invaded, villages destroyed, farms abandoned and thousands of residents forced to live in fear and uncertainty.
The coalition further alleged that about 200 people were killed around the Barkin Ladi axis before the Department of State Services (DSS) established an operational base in the area in May 2026. However, the figure could not be independently verified.
According to the group, the deployment of DSS operatives marked a turning point, leading to a noticeable reduction in attacks through intelligence-driven operations. It commended the agency for what it described as professionalism and effective security operations.
The coalition also defended ongoing intelligence-led security efforts, cautioning against unverified allegations against security personnel. It stressed that while complaints against security agencies should be properly investigated, unsubstantiated claims should not distract ongoing operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks.
The group warned that misinformation could undermine security efforts and embolden criminal elements seeking to exploit vulnerable communities.
Calling for stronger action, the coalition urged the Federal Government, Plateau State Government, security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society organisations and residents to work together to combat terrorism, banditry and violent crimes.
It also recommended expanding intelligence-led security operations beyond Barkin Ladi to other vulnerable local government areas, including Riyom, Bokkos, Bassa, Mangu, Jos South, Kanam and Qua’an Pan.
Meanwhile, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has called on the Nigerian Army to treat the security situation in Plateau and other troubled parts of the country as combat operations against enemies of the state rather than conventional peacekeeping missions.
Speaking during the handover ceremony between the outgoing General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, and his successor, Major General Williams Maxwell Dangana, the governor described the insecurity facing Plateau, the North-Central and other regions as an existential threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Mutfwang urged the military to adopt a more decisive approach in tackling armed groups responsible for the attacks, while assuring the new GOC of the state government’s continued support.
In a related development, the Plateau State Police Command announced the arrest of two suspected arms traffickers allegedly involved in the illegal possession and sale of firearms.
Police spokesperson SP Alfred Alabo said officers recovered a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, another rifle, two magazines and 29 rounds of ammunition from the suspects. He added that investigations were ongoing to uncover the source of the weapons and identify other members of the suspected arms trafficking network.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Bassey Ewah, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property while intensifying efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating across Plateau State.
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