BARKIN LADI, PLATEAU — Tensions in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area boiled over this weekend as an angry confrontation between local youths and security forces underscored a total breakdown in trust between the community and the military.
The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM) has formally passed a “Vote of No Confidence” on the Sector 4 Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Col. Victor Asuquo, and his Operations Officer, Captain Bello, accusing them of enabling a surge in killings by suspected militia groups.
Clash of Will
The friction turned physical in several districts where youths, tired of what they describe as military “spectatorship,” engaged in heated standoffs with soldiers. In a series of viral videos, community members are seen accusing troops of standing by while armed attackers raze farmlands.
“The military is rather against the people instead of fighting the terrorists,” the BYM declared in a stinging statement. The group cited the loss of 34 lives and the destruction of 70 hectares of crops in less than a month as proof of the “gross incompetence” of the current command.
Protest and Defiance
The standoff reached its peak in the Gashish district, where community members, led by local women, took the radical step of dismantling military checkpoints. The protesters claimed the barriers served only to restrict the movement of locals while providing no deterrence to the armed groups who bypass them through the bushes.
On Saturday, May 9, a fresh skirmish in the Rakum community resulted in two more deaths, further fueling the rage of the youth who believe the military’s presence has become “counter-productive.”
Allegations of Complicity
The BYM, led by Barr. Solomon Dalyop Mwantiri, alleged that the Sector 4 leadership has ignored early warning signals, leading to the decimation of several Berom villages. The youth body is now demanding the immediate redeployment of the named officers, warning that the community may be forced into “total self-defense” if the current leadership remains in place.
“We cannot be hosting a military that treats our killers with kid gloves,” Mwantiri stated. “When the protector becomes a bystander, the people must find their own path to survival.”
Army Maintains Stance
Despite the local revolt, the Nigerian Army has defended its operations on the Plateau, pointing to the recent discovery of illegal arms factories in Jos South as evidence of its commitment to ending the violence. However, field commanders are increasingly finding it difficult to operate as communal hostility toward the uniform reaches an all-time high.
As the confrontation between the indigenous population and the military deepens, observers fear that Barkin Ladi is sliding toward a state of anarchy where neither the law nor the military can provide safety.
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