Gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias attacked mourners in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on Thursday, killing one person and injuring several others. The victims were transporting the bodies of two people killed in an earlier attack to the mortuary when the ambush occurred.
The Berom Youth Moulders Association, BYM, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday. According to BYM President Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, armed bandits had invaded Sol village in Ta-Hoss District on Wednesday night, killing two residents identified as Davou Dalyop Patu and Dalyop Zaram.
The following morning, as mourners conveyed the remains to Riyom General Hospital, the assailants opened fire on the group. One man, Toma Chuwang, was killed in the attack, while others sustained varying degrees of injury.
Mwantiri condemned the renewed wave of attacks in Riyom and other parts of the state. He called on security agencies to intensify operations and crack down on armed criminal gangs terrorizing communities.
He noted that the assailants had reportedly retreated to a nearby Fulani settlement in Kwakwi, Ganawuri District, after the initial assault.
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The BYM President also raised concerns that criminal elements responsible for attacks in Barkin Ladi LGA may have shifted operations to Riyom due to ongoing security crackdowns by the Department of State Services and other agencies in Barkin Ladi.
Beyond the killings, Mwantiri condemned the continued destruction of farmlands through indiscriminate grazing in Gassa/Kassa communities of Ropp District, Barkin Ladi LGA. He said such actions threaten farmers’ livelihoods and worsen insecurity and economic hardship in the area.
He urged the federal and Plateau State governments, along with security agencies, to establish and strengthen additional security formations in Riyom LGA to prevent it from becoming a haven for terrorists and bandits.
He also appealed to the international community and Nigeria’s development partners to support efforts against terrorism and violent extremism in Plateau State and the wider Middle Belt region.
Mwantiri further called on residents in vulnerable communities across Riyom LGA, Gyel District of Jos South LGA, and other affected areas to remain vigilant and share timely intelligence with security agencies, including Operation Enduring Peace, to enable proactive responses.
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