BEROM EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (BECO)

PRESS STATEMENT 9thNovember, 2017

ANOTHER MASSACRE OF BEROM IN RIM, RIYOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

A total of nine Berom people are now confirmed dead in an ambush/attack at Diyan junction (near Rim Village) of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State at about 7.30pm on Tuesday 7th November, 2017 while returning from a local Market at Hoss (Makera). At the moment, three of the victims are receiving intensive medical care in a hospital, while three others including the driver of the vehicle they were travelling in narrowly escaped, but quite traumatized. According to testimony from the survivors, the attack was the handiwork of some Fulani in company of persons in military uniform.

The Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO) is greatly disturbed by this wave of unprovoked and unwarranted onslaught on the Berom at a time efforts are being exerted on patience, forgiveness and reconciliation and are painfully being accepted by our people. It is now clear to BECO that the enemies of peace are bent on continuing their massacre of Berom probably with the hope that they will eventually displace and dispossess us of our God-given land. This, we shall certainly resist!
BECO on its part has continued to voice out, document and report the prosecution of this agenda to the National Security Adviser’s Office, the Governor and all other security outfits right up to the highest level of government, in hope that the perpetrators of these crimes will be ‘fished’ out and brought to justice. Sadly, this has remained just a wish as no concrete action has been taken or results witnessed. To make matters worse, BECO has not received any acknowledgement for any of its numerous complaints and correspondences.

Are we therefore to conclude that silence on the part of security agencies and government is a tacit endorsement of the bloody massacres and heinous crimes visited on the Berom and on some of our neighbouring communities? More so, these ugly events continue to occur with no government sending in relief and support, neither do they make condolence visits, particularly in these very difficult times. It appears to us that we the Berom have been abandoned to our fate as if we do not qualify to be protected under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This is why the Berom nation is now constrained to call on the United Nations, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ECOWAS Commission and all other international bodies that promote and defend freedoms, liberties, rights and identities of indigenous and autochthonous peoples to treat the case of the Berom on the Plateau as a typical case of genocide and systematic ethnic cleansing.

In this regard, BECO shall continue to pursue legal means until the lives and land of the Berom are valued, secured and guaranteed under national and international laws and protocols. BECO is unequivocally calling on the Government of Plateau State and indeed Nigeria to demonstrate leadership, rise up above parochial sentiments of ethnicity and religious bigotry to impartially defend the rights of the Berom and other Nigerians suffering same; otherwise, the people will be left with no option than to resort to self-help.

Finally BECO commiserates with the families and communities of the deceased persons and those receiving medical attention in hospital. It is the prayer of BECO for our people to remain vigilante and law abiding.

Signed.

Da Davou Choji Davou
General Secretary, BECO.

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Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO) decries annihilation of members.