PRESS STATEMENT BY THE BEROM EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (BECO) ON THE ONGOING GENOCIDAL ATTACKS BY THE FULANI MILITIA/TERRORISTS ISSUED ON SUNDAY 24TH DAY OF JUNE 2018

BECO is highly disturbed by the painful holocaust, ethnic cleansing and genocidal killings of our people within a span of three (3) days from Friday to Sunday with the Military being overwhelmed and doing nothing to save the lives of innocent and defenseless women, children, the aged and men in Gashish, Ropp and Heipang Districts in Barakin Ladi Local Government Area and Bachi District in Riyom District of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

You will all recall that all the registered Berom Organisations addressed a World press conference on the 30th of May 2018 just barely four weeks ago drawing the attention of the State and Federal and Governments, the International Community and indeed the general public to the pogrom against the Berom people as well as the Irigwe and Ron of Bassa and Bokkos Local Government Areas respectively by the same Fulani terrorists.

In the last three (3) days alone, our communities at Razat, Raku, Tanabu, Tison, Kakuruk have witnessed 33 brutally massacred. At Ex-Lands (Gindin Akwati) the death toll is 31, while Nghar villages of Gashish District massively has witnessed the highest casualties of Sixty seven (67) people brutally killed. In Gana- Ropp village of Ropp District 33 were killed while in Chik village of Heipang District 2 people were gruesomely murdered in cold blood. In Shonong village of Riyom District the figure is 11. In the last three days, the Berom have lost about 150 members of its community.

What is more disturbing to us is the refusal of the security services to allow us access to the affected areas to evacuate the injured and provide relief to those whose houses have been burnt and property looted. They are held hostages with no help whatever from the security agencies and government. We strongly appeal to Government to come to our aid by providing adequate security in these areas and giving room for food and medical attention to the injured.

In the meantime, we call on our people to remain calm and not to do anything that further escalate the very grievous, perilous and already chaotic situation. We are passing through very trying times, however, our God in heaven neither sleeps or slumber.

Da Davou Choji Davou
General Secretary, BECO

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Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO) Speaks on Ongoing Ethnic Cleansing and Genocidal Attacks