by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
PLATEAU STATE: The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM) has been saddened, enraged, and deeply pained by the cold-blood murder of 27 of its people, mostly children and women, in Bindi/Jebbu Village of Tahoss Community, Riyom Local Government Area, in the early hours of Tuesday, 15th July 2025.
“This attack, which took place at about 4:00am and lasted up to 6:00am, is another round of terrorism and banditry attributed to armed Fulani, who hail from Bangai-Fulani, Ganawuri and other places, numbering in hundreds that security deployment couldn’t sizably contend,” stated BYM.
A statement on the incident was signed and issued to our Correspondent in Jos, by Bature Iliya Adazaram, Secretary-General of Berom Youths Moulder-Association and Solomon Dalyop Mwantiri, Esq., President, Berom Youths Moulders-Association (BYM).
According to them, “This singular incident adds to the growing atrocities committed by the killer-Fulani against the Berom people and other Nigerians. It is, indeed, a direct and brutal reminder that our lives do not deserve protection in the eyes of those who are constitutionally empowered to guarantee our safety, despite being paid by our hard-given tax.
“What happened in Jebu this morning is summarily a usual Fulani crime against humanity, deliberately carried out at the watch of some security agents that are said to have compromised by colluding with the attackers.
“The BYM, during an on-the-spot assessment at the scene of the attack, eyewitness (under anonymity) commended the Unit Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) stationed at Sopp for their gallantry role demonstrated in repelling the attackers from one end, but also registered their loss of confidence in the reinforcement team of the OPSH that came and stationed itself by the roadside, where the massacre was perpetrated even up to 6:00am.
“The unforgettable mass killing is, no doubt, debilitating the early trust we have built in the Operation Safe Haven-OPSH, which we had believed will continue working according to the Matching Order issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – that terrorist elements should be crushed.
“Surprisingly, we are witnessing the renewal of killings as happened during the 8 years of President Mohammadu Buhari, which could best be described as collusion and complicity paved way for genocides and alarming displacements meted out on our people.
“The disposition and utter neglect exhibited by the reinforcement team deployed is nothing other than saboteurs to the achievements and public confidence in the security system which, in essence, is counterproductive to the good intentions of the President and the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, who are after securing a peaceful environment for all persons, irrespective of ethno-religious affiliations.
“What baffles us most in this avoidable tragedy is the fact that security agents had prior knowledge of the planned attack, as the Fulani and their cohorts, who are believed to be the hundreds hired bandits were seen moving-in amids of thousands cows grazed on farmlands at Jebbu and neighbouring villages, just to be visited with terror from a nearby Fulani settlement, and no attempt to effect any arrest is what we gaze at now. This gross dereliction of duty has once again cost us precious lives – men, women, and children murdered in their sleep.
“Aside the mass killings, the same Fulani went on rampage of mass mow-down of crops last night in Jol, Bachi, Rinyan and other places, while the attack was ongoing. This is suggestive of the hundreds of the armed men brought in addition to the ones that have been on ground in places such as Fass, Mahanga, Shong, Rakweng, Sharu, Diyan-Hei, Hawan-Kibo, amongst others, wherefrom the armed groups are reportedly stationed.
“Another disturbing fact is that, the Jebbu/Bindi lies by the roadside to Abuja and a military checkpoint of the Special Task Force (STF) not up to a kilometre away from Jebbu.
“The attackers did not drop from the sky. They came with confidence, operated freely and left without challenge at the direction where the reinforcement team deployed stationed itself like in previous cases recorded in some communities of Riyom prior to the emergence of the current administration.
“This confirmed our long-held suspicion of complicity or calculated indifference on the part of some of the security operatives whom we call for investigation.”
The statement decried, thus: “Where were the security men when the cries of our people echoed through the night? And why was no reinforcement deployed when prior warnings were issued?
“How long shall we continue to bury our people, while conspiracy of silence beckons on us daily?
“The Berom people are being systematically hunted, and it is apparent that war has been declared on us by the bloodletting terrorists, aiming at annihilating us from the face of the earth. Today, we weep for Jebbu, but our tears must now give way to righteous anger, resolve, and united action.
“BYM, on behalf of all Berom Youths, demands immediate answers and decisive actions, in order to regain the just lost confidence as a result of the shocking conduct of the few security agents.
“Amongst our agitation include: Also call for an urgent and independent investigation into the role and inaction of the ‘Reinforcement Task Force’ to shoot only 3 gunshots and nothing more during and after the Jebbu massacre.
“It also urged immediate investigation, arrest and possibly the prosecution of those behind the killings – both the foot soldiers and the financiers – many of whom are believed to have hailed from Bangai-Fulani and other aforementioned settlements.
“Also call for the deployment of proactive, community-partnered security frameworks to prevent further carnage. Since rustled cows are always compensated (whether or not established), the BYM also calls for #10 million compensation on each person killed, and provision of relief and roofing materials to the surviving victims.”
The Association urged the military to desist from accompanying Fulani to graze, “as that would give rise to the collusion and complicity in the ongoing killing and farm destruction.”
“This is a defining moment. If the government fails to act now, history will remember it as the era ‘when evil thrived, while the authorities concerned watched.’ The blood of the innocent in Jebbu cries for justice – and it must not be in vain.
“To our people: we mourn, but we must not be broken. We must speak out, get organized, and defend our land, our heritage, and our very right to life,” BYM stated.