Plateau killings: How we lost 300 persons in four months – Berom community
Some communities in Plateau North Senatorial District, under the auspices of Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO), on Thursday raised the alarm that they have lost nearly 300 persons, among which were mostly women and children within the last four months.
The group said between June and September 2018, the Berom community had lost nearly the aforementioned number of persons in Barkin-Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau State.
It therefore, called on the international community to come to their rescue.
BECO through its General Secretary, Da Davou Choji, in Jos decried the continuous killings of their people by killer herdsmen.
Choji said, “The Berom nation has lost confidence in the ability of government to defend the rights of its citizens in the communities under attack by Fulani herdsmen.
“So far, between June and September 2018, nearly 300 lives have been lost, over 38, 000 others displaced and property worth millions of naira destroyed with no tangible remedial action or programme in place by government at all levels.
According to him, “The call has become necessary following the failure of Federal Government, security agencies and the State Government to uphold the basic tenets of justice.”
The Berom umbrella body also frowned at the sudden transfer of the then Commander of the Special Military Taskforce code named Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major General Anthony Atolagbe, under very suspicious circumstances, having arrested 11 suspected killer herdsmen in connection with the massacre of June 23 and 24, 2018 where over 200 innocent persons were killed.
It noted that the suspects were also transferred illegally from Jos to Abuja under security cover for so-called investigations.
