The Plateau State Association USA, Inc. has issued a strong statement condemning the recent wave of violent attacks in Zike village, Bassa Local Government Area, and across several communities in Bokkos LGA of Plateau State, Nigeria. The group described the incidents, which led to the deaths of scores of residents and the destruction of homes, as “barbaric, coordinated, and acts of terror.”
In a release signed by its National President, Dr. Bartholomew Shepkong, the association expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and called on the Nigerian government, security agencies, and the international community to treat the situation with the urgency and seriousness it demands.
“Plateau State cannot continue to be a killing field while perpetrators roam free with impunity,” the statement read. “These attacks are not isolated incidents or farmer-herder clashes as often misrepresented. They are targeted campaigns of organized violence, ethnic cleansing, and mass displacement.”
The association urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate political will and leadership by taking decisive action to end the killings. It also called on Nigerian security agencies to immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible for the atrocities.
Furthermore, the group appealed to international bodies to recognize the crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt as a full-scale human rights emergency, stressing the need for global attention and intervention.
“No one should be permanently uprooted by violence,” the group emphasized, demanding the safe and supported return of all displaced persons to their ancestral homes and the preservation of their right to land and dignity.
The association also criticized the Nigerian media for what it described as misleading coverage of the crisis, warning against the continued use of terms like “farmer-herder clashes” which, according to them, downplay the true nature of the violence.
“It is despicable that many Nigerian media outlets continue to whitewash these atrocities. The media must stop enabling impunity through distortion,” the group said.
In a rallying call for unity, the association urged all stakeholders across Plateau State—traditional rulers, religious and civil society leaders, elected officials, and diaspora organizations—to come together and forge a common front against the ongoing violence.
“The time for fragmentation is over. The time for coordinated action is now,” the statement concluded.
The Plateau State Association USA reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for justice, peace, and the protection of all Plateau citizens, both in Nigeria and in the diaspora.