Youths in Plateau State on Wednesday staged a protest at the Government House in Jos, demanding urgent action to address persistent attacks and insecurity across the state.
The protesters, drawn from the Coalition of Northern Zone Ethnic Nationalities and the Plateau Youth Coalition, expressed frustration over what they described as unending killings in several communities. They warned that the security situation had deteriorated to the point where even security personnel were no longer safe.
The protest followed a fresh attack on Tuesday night when gunmen reportedly invaded Rim Village, killing two people and injuring two others.
Residents said the attackers stormed the community around 10:30 p.m., firing indiscriminately before fleeing into nearby bushes. One of the villagers, John Sati, said the injured victims were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Confirming the attack, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Movement, Rwang Tengwong, said the incident caused panic in the community.
“Gunmen stormed Rim Village around 10 p.m. and opened fire sporadically. Two people have been confirmed dead, while two others sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital,” Tengwong said.
He described the incident as another episode in the recurring insecurity affecting communities in Riyom Local Government Area and called on security agencies to intensify patrols and bring those responsible to justice.
Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, Alfred Alabo, were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.
Speaking during the protest, the President of the Plateau Youth Coalition, Ezekiel Peter Bini, expressed concern over the worsening security situation, citing the recent killing of security personnel in Kanam Local Government Area.
“If security agents who are supposed to protect us can be ambushed and killed, then what about civilians? Our lives are now at the mercy of God,” he said.
Also speaking, the President of the Berom Youth Movement, Dalyop Mwantiri, warned that armed groups displaced from the North-East and North-West were relocating to Plateau communities, targeting both Christians and Muslims.
The protesters submitted a list of demands to Governor Caleb Mutfwang, urging him to forward their concerns to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and push for urgent measures, including the establishment of state police to tackle insecurity.
The President of the Berom Women Development Association, Ngo Esther Banga, highlighted the impact of the violence on women and children.
“We cannot stay freely in our homes or look after our children,” she said.
However, the protesters were unable to meet the governor as he, the deputy governor and the Secretary to the State Government were away on an official engagement. The youths vowed to return on Monday to present their grievances directly.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the state have launched a peace roadmap aimed at addressing recurring conflicts between farmers and herders in Plateau communities.
The initiative was unveiled at the headquarters of the Plateau State Peace Building Agency in Jos, where the agency’s Director-General, Julie Sanda, represented by the Director of Programmes, Nantip Joseph, described the initiative as a major step toward restoring peace.
According to the agency, nearly 12,000 people have been killed in Plateau over the past two decades, with more than 420 communities attacked and thousands displaced in violence largely linked to disputes between farmers and herders.
The roadmap, supported by the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law and funded by the UK Department for International Development, is designed to provide community actors with tools to prevent and resolve land-related conflicts and promote peaceful coexistence.
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2026-03-26
