Berom in Diaspora Coalition Urges Global Intervention Over Ongoing Genocide in Plateau State

The Berom in Diaspora Coalition (BDC) comprising members from Western Canada, the United States, South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Asia (including China and Vietnam), Australia, South Africa, Kenya, and other parts of Africa, has appealed to the international community to urgently intervene in what it described as a prolonged genocide that has claimed over 10,000 Berom lives since 2001.

Speaking at a World Press Conference in Jos, the Plateau State capital, one of the coalition’s officials, Rwas Barnabas Dazi, decried the continuous annihilation of the Berom and other law-abiding citizens of Plateau State. He demanded justice, accountability, and protection from those constitutionally mandated to safeguard lives and property.

According to the group, while thousands of people have been killed, many remain missing, and thousands more have been displaced as Fulani terrorists continue to occupy ancestral Berom lands.
BDC alleged that the attacks are systematically planned and executed to reduce the Berom population, deny them political representation, and cripple them economically through the forceful and illegal takeover of their lands.

It cited an investigative report that revealed 151 Berom communities have been displaced, while several others live under the constant threat of attacks.

The coalition accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect its citizens, stressing that the pattern of killings reflects gross negligence and institutional silence.

Rwas Barnabas stated: “The Berom people, like many great Plateau nationalities the Irigwe, Mwaghavul, Ron-Kulere, Tarok, and others and indeed every ethnic group in Nigeria, are citizens of this country. We are children, farmers, students, professionals, mothers, fathers, and grandparents who only seek to live in peace on our ancestral lands.
Yet, year after year, our people are attacked, our lands are seized, and our cries go unheard.
We condemn, in the strongest terms, the continued silence and inaction of the authorities in the face of this sustained violence.”

He emphasized that Nigeria cannot claim to be “one nation under law” if Fulani terrorists are allowed to kill indigenous people without consequences.

The coalition also raised alarm over threats to the lives of three prominent Plateau activists who have consistently spoken against and documented the killings.

“We have received credible intelligence indicating an imminent threat to the lives of Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, a cleric with the COCIN Regional Church Council, Gwol (Barkin Ladi LGA); Mr. Masara Kim, a journalist and media justice advocate; and Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, National President of the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM) and a human rights advocate,” Dazi disclosed.

He revealed that intelligence sources suggest that a group of Fulani bandits from Nasarawa State have infiltrated Plateau State with the intent to abduct or assassinate the three activists and launch massive coordinated attacks.

The coalition therefore demanded heightened security at flashpoints and other vulnerable communities across Plateau State. It condemned the government’s approach of “pampering and rehabilitating terrorists” while their victims remain neglected, describing it as a sign of complicity.

BDC expressed dismay that despite Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Concern” by the United States government due to ongoing atrocities, the killings continue unabated.

The group called on the Nigerian government to officially declare Fulani militants as terrorists and conduct military operations to dismantle all illegally established settlements on occupied lands.

It further demanded that the government release the ₦10 billion fund earlier announced by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the rehabilitation of displaced persons in Plateau State.
According to the coalition, the fund should be directed toward victims’ families, medical aid, shelter, and relief materials, while efforts must be made to restore ancestral lands to their rightful owners.

BDC also called for the prosecution of all perpetrators, regardless of status, to end the culture of impunity, implementation of sustainable peace and security measures, including community-based policing and early warning systems and stronger legislative action by the National Assembly to curb rural terrorism;

It further demanded increased international involvement by the United Nations, African Union, and ECOWAS to support peace and justice initiatives in Plateau State and consistent media coverage to amplify the voices of victims.

The coalition lamented the complacency of some leaders, accusing them of placing politics above human lives. It urged all well-meaning Nigerians and the global community to stand with the people of Plateau State in their quest for justice, peace, and restoration.