A Fulani youth group in Plateau State has claimed that the recurring violence in parts of the state will persist unless authorities take decisive action against what it described as ethnic militia groups responsible for attacks on herders and their livestock.
The group, Concerned Fulani Youths in Plateau, made the remarks after a meeting held in Jos on Tuesday, where members discussed the security situation in communities affected by years of clashes between farmers and herders.
In a communiqué signed by its convener, Saleh Umaru, the group alleged that local gangs, particularly those it referred to as “Berom Militias,” have continued to attack Fulani settlements, kill herders and steal cattle. It argued that these actions have fuelled the cycle of violence in Plateau State.
According to the group, while Fulani communities are committed to peaceful coexistence with their host communities, they cannot remain passive if their people and means of livelihood come under attack. It claimed that many of the incidents attributed to Fulani herders were retaliatory attacks carried out after earlier assaults on Fulani communities.
“After wide consultations with different Fulani groups, communities and individual herders across Plateau State, we concluded that a major cause of the lingering violence between herdsmen and local communities, especially in Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas, is the attack and killing of Fulani people by Berom militia gangs,” Umaru said.
The group acknowledged that some herders may have engaged in criminal activities but insisted that such individuals should not be used to label the entire Fulani population. It maintained that the majority of herders are law-abiding and primarily depend on cattle rearing for their survival.
It further alleged that several Fulani settlements had been invaded, hundreds of herders killed and thousands of cattle stolen over the years, arguing that such incidents often trigger reprisals and deepen tensions between communities.
Calling for government intervention, the group urged the Plateau State Government, led by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, to enact legislation that criminalises ethnic militia groups. It also appealed to security agencies to intensify operations against armed groups regardless of ethnic affiliation.
The allegations by the Fulani youth group have not been independently verified, and there has been no immediate response from the Plateau State Government or representatives of the Berom community at the time of filing this report.
