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From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Former Minister of Water Resources, Serah Reng Ochekpe, leading prominent Plateau Women of Berom extraction, has condemned the incessant attacks in the state, especially in Berom land.
The women said that it’s erroneous to describe the constant attacks on Berom land, as farmer-herder clash, describing the attacks as genocide and attempts to dislocate the entire Berom from their land.
The Berom women said that the attacks and unprovoked violence visited on Berom land can no longer be described in simplistic and dishonest statements as herder-farmer crisis, stressing that it has become apparent that the attacks were organised genocidal campaign against their people and land that should be met with comparable force.
In a statement entitled: “This Is Genocide, Not Farmer/herder Conflict,” and jointly signed by Ochekpe on behalf of Association of Behwong Berom Weneng Yere Dyuk (BWYD); Abigail Banga, president, Berom Women Development Association (BWEDA); Suga Florence Jambol, Dr. Kachollom Gang, Veronica Kaneng Gumut, (BWYD), and Prof. Christy Gavou Best, the women stressed that as mothers, they could not sit and watch the constant shedding of blood in their home land.
They demanded urgent action and not just a nonchalant attitude, against security personnel, who have often been suspected of collaboration with the attackers.
The statement reads in part, “On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, Plateau State woke up to another gory tale of mindless killings when Riyom, once again, came under attack from marauding Fulani bandits. This time, it was Binda, in Ta-Hoss village that bore the brunt of this unending, unprovoked evil being meted on Plateau communities.
“At the last count, 27 people reportedly died following the attack on that community despite the presence of security personnel and armoured military assets.”
