Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Angry women from the Gashish community in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday vandalised and dismantled a military checkpoint during a mass protest, demanding the withdrawal of troops whom they accused of failing to protect residents from relentless attacks by suspected Fulani gunmen.
The protest erupted after gunmen invaded communities in Barkin Ladi and neighbouring Riyom Local Government Area late Sunday night, killing at least six people. Visibly emotional, the women carried placards denouncing both the government and the military, accusing security operatives of having “lost touch with reality” and allowing armed groups to continue inflicting hardship on residents. One of the protesters, Mercy Dachung, a mother of four, declared: “We are tired of burying our children and husbands. The soldiers are here, yet we are still dying. If they cannot protect us, they should leave our land”.
The protest in Gashish was not an isolated incident. In Kassa community, also in Barkin Ladi, angry youths and women attacked soldiers and set a military checkpoint ablaze on Sunday following the burial of a resident killed by suspected Fulani attackers. The attack on the checkpoint occurred at about 11:40 p.m. on April 20 during the burial ceremony of one Gyang Nuhu Choji, who was killed on April 16. The protesters accused security operatives of failing to prevent repeated attacks in the community, alleging that the presence of troops had not translated into adequate protection for residents.
They blocked access roads, temporarily disrupting movement in and out of the area before calm was restored following intervention by local stakeholders.
The frustration in Plateau State has been fuelled by recurring attacks that residents say the military has been unable or unwilling to prevent. In one particularly harrowing account, a woman from Mbwelle village in Bokkos Local Government Area, who lost eight family members in an April 9 attack by suspected Fulani militia, accused soldiers stationed less than three kilometres away of refusing to come to their aid. She alleged that during the two-hour assault, residents made frantic calls to troops under the Operation Enduring Peace task force, but the soldiers never arrived. To the chagrin of the invaded community, a gun truck belonging to Sector 5 of the task force was later seen positioned in front of a Fulani settlement where the attackers had retreated. “When the Fulani killers came to our village that night and started shooting at the people, our youths and elders called the soldiers who were stationed less than three kilometres away. We pleaded with them to come to our aid but they refused to come,” the distraught woman said.
The security situation in Plateau State has deteriorated significantly in recent months, with multiple attacks recorded in quick succession.
On April 5, a Fulani herder was found dead in Riyom Local Government Area in what sources described as a reprisal attack. Between April 9 and April 15, a wave of reprisal attacks deepened tensions across the state, with armed groups on both sides sustaining a campaign of terror. In the wake of these incidents, troops of Operation Enduring Peace arrested nine suspected Berom militia members on April 18 over alleged involvement in targeted killings in Riyom LGA. The military also recovered arms and ammunition during the operation. However, residents argue that such arrests do little to address the root cause of the violence, which they believe lies in the military’s failure to protect them from Fulani attackers.
The Berom Youth Moulders Association has rejected reports circulating on social media alleging that “Berom bandits” were arrested in Danwal, describing the claims as false and misleading. According to the association, two residents were recently attacked by suspected armed bandits, while local youths who rescued one of the victims were later arrested by security personnel. The group called for the immediate release of the arrested youths and urged security agencies to focus on apprehending the real perpetrators. The association’s National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwom, said the community had suffered repeated attacks over the years, with most residents abandoning their homes for fear of being killed. He also expressed frustration over what he described as the ineffectiveness of security presence in Shonun, insisting that despite the existence of security units in the area, little has been done to curb the recurring violence.
The protest in Gashish has become a rallying point for many who feel abandoned by the state. Another protester, Nancy Gyang, accused security operatives of indifference: “Each time we are attacked, we call them. They come after we have counted our losses. Are they with us or with the killers? We removed that checkpoint because it has not stopped the attacks”. Chundung Bot, a women leader, said the community had lost confidence in the security presence: “They tell us they are here for peace, but there is no peace. Our youths are gone, our elderly are gone, and our farms are no longer safe. We want the government to hear us. We cannot continue like this”. The destruction of the military checkpoint, while condemned by security sources, has sent an unmistakable message that the patience of Plateau communities is wearing thin.
As the military continues its operations under the banner of Operation Enduring Peace, the people of Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Bokkos are left to wonder when the cycle of violence will end. For now, the women of Gashish have made their position clear: if the soldiers cannot protect them, they would rather see them go. The checkpoint that once stood as a symbol of state presence now lies in pieces, a testament to a crisis that has defied successive military deployments and peace initiatives. Whether the federal government will respond to the protesters’ demands remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: on the Plateau, the chasm between the state and its citizens has never been wider.
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