BARKIN LADI – While troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE reported the neutralisation of two armed gunmen in Barkin Ladi on Tuesday night, the development has been met with deep skepticism and resentment from the local population.
Despite the military’s report of a successful ambush near Doruwa Babuje, many residents in the affected Christian communities view the intervention as too little, too late.
A Crisis of Confidence
Community leaders and survivors in Plateau State allege that the Nigerian security architecture has repeatedly failed them during sustained attacks by armed Fulani bandits. Residents point to instances where security forces were reportedly present in the state while villagers were being slaughtered and women raped, yet failed to intervene decisively.
This perceived inaction has led to a total collapse of confidence in the military. Many locals now openly accuse the security forces of religious bias, alleging a systematic failure to defend Christian communities against Muslim extremist groups.
Wider Regional Discontent
This sentiment of abandonment is not isolated to Plateau. Similar grievances are being echoed across the “Middle Belt” and beyond, including in Kaduna, Benue, Niger, Kwara, and Taraba states. In these regions, the prevailing narrative is that the federal security apparatus is either incapable or unwilling to confront terrorists targeting minority communities.
“Window Dressing”
The latest operation, which resulted in the recovery of a single fabricated rifle and five rounds of ammunition, has been dismissed by some community advocates as “window dressing”—a tactical PR move designed to project an image of activity while the underlying insecurity remains unaddressed.
While Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh maintained that troops remain in the Marit and Lajam areas to ensure safety, local residents remain on edge, with many opting for self-defense over reliance on official security formations.
