Youths from the Coalition of Northern Zone Ethnic Nationalities and Plateau Youth Coalition on Wednesday protested at the Plateau State Government House in Jos, demanding action against the persistent attacks and insecurity in the state.
The protesters, frustrated by the unending killings, lamented that even security operatives are no longer safe.
In a latest attack, gunmen on Tuesday night stormed Rim Village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed two persons.
Some villagers who confirmed the attack to The PUNCH in Jos on Wednesday said two others were also injured during the incident, which saw the gunmen engage in sporadic shooting that lasted for several minutes.
“The attackers invaded the Rim community around 10:30 pm, firing gunshots indiscriminately before fleeing into the surrounding bushes,” one of the villagers, John Sati, said.
According to Sati, the two injured victims were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Movement, Rwang Tengwong, who also confirmed the attack, lamented the situation, saying the community was thrown into panic by the sudden attack.
The protesters regretted that Governor Mutfwang was not in office, as he, the deputy governor, and the Secretary to the State Government had travelled for a function.
They, however, vowed to return on Monday to present their grievances directly to the governor.
Plateau launches peace roadmap
Deputy Team Leader for SPRiNG, Priscilla Ankut, noted that the guideline was part of efforts to improve relationships between farmers and pastoralists, not just in Plateau but also in Kaduna, Benue, and Katsina states.
“Our programme is working to promote peace in the community and help them to develop resilience to climate change.
“Based on our research, we realise that some of the stressors leading communities to resort to violence are related to the use of natural resources, including land.
“We have seen that there is a lot of tension arising from the relationship between farmers and herders, and some of these things often go unaddressed.
“So our contribution to this, which is being implemented by HiiL, is a contribution that will help improve relationships between the farmers and the pastoralist groups on the Plateau,” Ankut said.
The Country Representative of Hague Institute for Innovation of Law, Ijeoma Nwafor, explained that the guideline combined global best practices with localised research, involving stakeholders from farmers and herders to traditional and religious leaders.
“The document is different because we are sensitive to the fact that grammar is not the solution to the world’s problems. We have a lot of pictures to help,” she said.
Nwafor emphasised the importance of focusing on human experiences and communication in conflict resolution, saying, “Conflicts often arise from the stories we have been told from birth… What this document tries to do is bring people back to the human effect.”
The guideline, developed with support from the HiiL and funded by the UK Department for International Development, focuses on accessible and affordable solutions to address land-related disputes.
Our correspondent reports that the guideline launched in Jos on Tuesday aims to equip community actors with tools to prevent and resolve land-related conflicts, promoting fair and transparent dispute management.
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