Plateau bloodbath: We lost 150 people –Community leader

Gyang Bere, Jos

The Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO) said it lost 150 people during the fresh attack on its members by Fulani herdsmen in Barikin-Ladi and Riyom Local Government areas of Plateau State.

BECO’s Secretary, Davou Choji Davou, in a statement, yesterday, in Jos, said the Berom lost 150 members between Friday and Sunday last week.

“BECO is highly disturbed by the painful holocaust, ethnic cleansing and genocidal killings of our people within a span of three  days, from Friday to Sunday, with the military being overwhelmed and doing nothing to save the lives of innocent and defenceless women, children, the aged and men in Gashish, Ropp and Heipang Districts in Barakin Ladi Local Government Area and Bachi District in Riyom District of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“In the last three days alone, our communities at Razat, Raku, Tanabu, Tison, Kakuruk have witnessed 33 brutal massacre.  At Ex-Lands (Gindin Akwati) the death toll is 31, while Nghar villages  of Gashish District has witnessed the highest casualties of 67 people brutally killed.
“ In Gana- Ropp village of Ropp District, 33 were killed while in Chik village of Heipang District, two people were gruesomely murdered in cold blood. In Shonong village of Riyom District, the figure is 11.  In the last three days, the Berom has lost about 150 members of its community.

“What is more disturbing to us is the refusal of the security services to allow us access to the affected areas to evacuate the injured and provide  relief to those whose houses have been burnt and property looted.”

He said the victims were held hostages with no  help from the security agencies and government, and, therefiore, appealed to government to come to their aid, by providing adequate security in the areas and giving room for food and medical attention to the injured.
Meanwhile, Plateau Regeneration Group has called on the Federal Government and the security agencies to halt the killings and fish out the culprits.

In a press state signed by the Public Relations Officer, Pam Datiri, the group urged citizens to collaborate with Governor Simon Lalong to stop further destruction of life and property.
“We demand that those behind this barbaric  killings be arrested and brought to book. We  call on all Nigerian security outfits to, as a matter of urgency, bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice.”

He said Governor Lalong had been working tirelessly since his election to enthrone peace and unity in the state, but, some enemies of progress are bent on unleashing terror on innocent citizens, thereby, causing disaffection among the people.

“It is a known fact that before the advent of the Governor Lalong-led administration, the state had been dragged behind by protracted crises which had bedevilled previous administrations, with over 14 years of communal, ethnic and religious crises.

“The aftermath of these sustained crises in the state was not just limited to monumental loss of lives and valuable properties belonging to government and citizens, it also sent away investors and tourists who should have contributed to the development of the state,” the group said.