At least 26 members of the Berom ethnic nationality have been killed in multiple attacks on their villages in the last one week, the national leadership of the Berom Youth Movement, BYM, has said.
The national caretaker chairman of the ethnic group association, Rwang Dantong, made the disclosure on Friday evening at the Nigeria Union of Journalists press centre in Jos, while reacting to the renewed attacks in Riyom Local Government Area.
"Berom People from Riyom Local Government Area have lost 26 of our people in series of attacks in seven consecutive days between last Thursday, 2nd October and 10th October 2014," Mr. Dantong said.
He said most victims were children, the aged and women, mostly pregnant. The group accused Fulani herdsmen of having perpetrated the killings.
He named the affected villages to include Law, Shonong, Fang, Dum, Chenengye, Rakweng, Diyan, Rachi and Sharubutu in Bachi District of Riyom local government area of plateau state."
According to Mr. Dantong, farm produce which were ready for harvest were destroyed, with over one hundred houses set ablaze during the attacks.
The group threatened to avenge the death of its people if nothing was done to prevent further killings.
"The National leadership of Berom Youth Movement (BYM) has condemned in strong terms the persistent and systematic attacks on our people, this is an open declaration of war on our people for no justifiable reasons," Mr. Dantang said.
He called on government at all levels to intervene in the attacks to prevent further loss of lives of its members. The group said the number of security men posted to their villages were insufficient, hence the need for armed security men.
