Youths in Plateau State have raised the alarm over what they describe as an escalating humanitarian crisis unfolding in Riyom Local Government Area (LGA), where a series of coordinated gunmen attacks have left dozens dead and thousands displaced.
The youths, speaking through various community and advocacy platforms, condemned the continued attacks, warning that the situation in Riyom LGA has become unbearable, with entire villages deserted and survivors lacking food, shelter, and medical care.
Speaking at a press conference in Jos, the Chairman of the Plateau Youth Council (PYC), Riyom branch, Zang Davou, revealed that no fewer than 58 people have been killed and 82 houses razed in recent weeks following a surge in violent attacks on communities across the council area.
“This is not just an emergency, it is a humanitarian disaster. Thousands have been displaced, many more are injured or living in despair, and entire communities have been wiped out,” Davou said.
Describing the attacks as part of a systematic and relentless campaign of violence allegedly perpetrated by armed Fulani militias since 2002, Davou accused the assailants of not only killing civilians but also destroying the foundations of local livelihoods, particularly farmlands and ancestral properties.
“Our once-thriving communities have been reduced to ashes. Properties worth billions have been destroyed, and over 15,000 people are now displaced, living without food, shelter, or dignity,” he lamented.
Davou further painted a harrowing picture of the recent escalation, claiming that the attacks have grown in coordination and sophistication, with assailants even answering calls from their victims’ phones.
He reported that 31 individuals remain hospitalized, many battling for their lives amid inadequate medical facilities and support.
“Beyond the human loss, large hectares of cultivated farmland, our source of food and economic survival, have been destroyed. The very essence of our people’s existence is under siege,” he added.
The chairman appealed to both the federal and state governments for the urgent deployment of more security forces, particularly the Nigeria Mobile Police Force, to vulnerable areas in Riyom.
He also called on the international community and human rights organizations to break their silence and intervene decisively, while urging humanitarian agencies to immediately provide relief materials, medical assistance, and psychosocial support to affected communities.
Davou emphasized that while the community appreciates existing efforts by security agencies and government bodies, those measures remain insufficient in light of the scale and persistence of the violence.
He reminded authorities that the 1999 Nigerian Constitution mandates the protection of life and property—a responsibility, he said, that is not being fulfilled in Riyom.
“The youth of Riyom are resilient, but our strength is wearing thin. We are tired of burying our loved ones. We are tired of watching our communities erased. We want peace. We deserve peace,” he said.
As tensions rise and humanitarian needs deepen in the region, the call from Riyom’s youth echoes a growing sense of frustration and desperation among citizens who feel both abandoned and besieged.
