Plateau Killings: Berom Diaspora Urges FG to Declare Mahanga Terrorist Stronghold

Story: written by Joseph April 30,2026
A coalition of Berom groups in the diaspora has called on the Nigerian government to designate Mahanga community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State as a terrorist enclave, citing persistent attacks and rising insecurity in the region.
The group, operating under the Berom Diaspora Coalition (BDC) alongside other organizations, made the demand during a press conference in Jos on Tuesday. They alleged that Mahanga serves as a base for armed bandits and террорист elements who launch attacks on surrounding communities before retreating to the area.
Speaking at the event themed “Reclaiming Our Lost Ancestral Lands and Resettlement of Our People,” BDC representative, Barry Barnabas Dazih, urged both federal and state authorities, as well as security agencies, to take immediate steps to end the violence and reclaim lands allegedly seized from indigenous communities.
According to the coalition, more than 500 people have been killed between November 2025 and April 2026, with many others injured, displaced, or left homeless. The violence, they said, has affected several local government areas including Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South, Bokkos, Bassa, and Jos North.
They pointed to the March 29 attack in Angwan Rukuba, which reportedly claimed about 30 lives, as evidence that the crisis has spread into urban areas.
The coalition further claimed that over 70 Berom villages have been displaced, with some allegedly occupied by attackers, worsening the humanitarian situation and increasing the number of widows and orphans.
Beyond the loss of lives, the groups lamented the destruction of farmlands and restricted access to mining sites, warning that livelihoods are being deliberately targeted, thereby deepening poverty in affected communities.
Describing the situation as dire, the coalition called for urgent government intervention to facilitate the return and resettlement of displaced persons. They also expressed concern over what they described as the failure of security agencies to act on credible intelligence from local sources.