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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Indigenous youth organisations in Plateau State have accused some Fulani groups of attempting to frustrate ongoing anti-insurgency operations through petitions and viral social media videos allegedly aimed at discrediting the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies.
The coalition alleged that the campaign was specifically designed to intimidate the DSS State Director, Paul Damian, undermine joint security operations and discourage intelligence sharing among security agencies working to restore peace in troubled communities.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, President of the Berom Youths Moulder Association and Coordinator of Indigenous Youth Nationalities, Northern Zone, Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, urged the Federal Government to resist what he described as attempts to derail the security crackdown.
The coalition also defended the Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow, insisting that their continued presence and collaboration with other security agencies were necessary to address insecurity in Plateau State.
The youth organisations said their intervention followed a petition dated 5 October 2026, reportedly signed by Mujahid Abdullahi on behalf of the Plateau chapters of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN), Fulbe Youth Development Association (FUYODA) and other organisations.
The petitioners allegedly accused the DSS of biased and discriminatory operations against Fulani communities, holding the agency responsible for killings, abductions, cattle rustling and the poisoning and shooting of cattle.
Meanwhile, a video circulating on Facebook and other social media platforms reportedly made similar allegations, while portraying the Nigerian Army as the only security agency acting in the interest of peace in the state.
However, the indigenous youth coalition dismissed the allegations as misleading, claiming that the petition and video were intended to distort the facts, influence government decisions and weaken the ongoing security operations.
According to the group, the campaign had five objectives: to intimidate Damian, discredit the DSS, Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow, disrupt joint operations involving local security volunteers, discourage inter-agency collaboration and portray the Nigerian Army as the only effective security force in Plateau.
The coalition further claimed that the joint operations had contributed to the arrest of a suspected militant leader, Ardo Mahmoud Adams, and expressed concern that efforts to discredit the participating agencies could undermine the gains recorded in the security campaign.
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Presenting what it described as the facts of the situation, the youth leaders alleged that armed militants had attacked and occupied communities while cattle were grazed alongside them. They claimed that at least 152 hamlets, villages and communities had suffered such attacks.
The group also denied allegations that Damian and the DSS were involved in killings or cattle rustling, saying cattle intercepted while grazing on farmlands were being held pending the identification of their owners and the alleged perpetrators.
To underscore the security challenges confronting the agencies, the coalition cited an alleged attack on a newly deployed DSS base at Nding Sesut, Fan, in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, on 1 June 2026.
It also alleged that more than 400 militants attacked Tanjol and Tarai villages in Jol community on 23 August, killing two DSS officers and carting away their rifles before retreating to Rankum, in the Mahanga area of Riyom Local Government Area.
The coalition further claimed that Mobile Police Force officers were killed two weeks ago in Dares and Kwi villages in Bokkos and Riyom Local Government Areas, respectively.
It also alleged that the Operations Officer of Operation Rainbow, DSP David Babale, was ambushed and killed near a military checkpoint around Rakok village on the outskirts of Barkin Ladi, while similar attacks were reportedly recorded at Kantoma and Alohgom in Mangu Local Government Area.
The youth organisations also alleged that sponsors of suspected militants were raising N20 million to finance media campaigns, court cases and petitions intended to frustrate the security operations.
They called for an investigation into the alleged funding of the campaigns, as well as allegations of unprofessional conduct, compromise and collusion involving some military personnel.
The coalition further warned that withdrawing the DSS, Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow from Plateau State could weaken the security response and expose vulnerable communities to further attacks and displacement.
It urged President Bola Tinubu and other relevant Federal Government authorities to sustain the joint operations while ensuring that credible allegations against security personnel were properly investigated. “We smell a rat,” the coalition said, describing the petition and video as “ploys and strategies of distraction”.
