HURIWA Urges Tinubu, Mutfwang to Act as Fresh Attacks Raise Fears in Plateau

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang to take urgent action to prevent further killings and destruction of communities in the state.

The rights group made the demand while condemning what it described as a fresh wave of attacks on Berom communities, including Gwa-Wereng Rim, Kyeng Village in Bachi District, Dorong and Jol.

According to HURIWA, the latest incidents reportedly left at least two people dead, another seriously injured and several houses destroyed by fire.

The organisation said the attacks were further evidence of the vulnerability of rural communities in Plateau despite repeated government assurances that security would be strengthened.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA urged security agencies to launch a comprehensive investigation into the latest attacks and ensure that those responsible are arrested and prosecuted.

The group identified two of the reported victims as Bulus Mwagwong, popularly known as Dikko, and 47-year-old Stephen Dachollom Kaze, while another person identified as Yakubu was reportedly seriously injured.

HURIWA said residents of Gwa-Wereng Rim were attacked at about 9:30 p.m., while houses were reportedly set ablaze during an incident in Dorong.

In Jol, the organisation said armed attackers exchanged gunfire with local vigilantes, heightening fears among residents.

The allegations could not be independently verified from the statement alone.

HURIWA criticised what it described as a recurring cycle in which communities are attacked, residents killed and property destroyed before authorities issue statements of condemnation.

The group said rural residents should receive the same level of protection as people living in urban areas.

It also warned that recurring violence was affecting farming communities, with residents increasingly afraid to access their farmlands and some families being forced to abandon their homes.

The rights group urged the Federal Government to increase security deployments in vulnerable communities and establish more effective early-warning and intelligence-gathering mechanisms.

It also called for sustained security presence in areas considered vulnerable instead of temporary deployments only after attacks have occurred.

HURIWA further urged security agencies to investigate whether the latest incidents are connected to previous attacks on farming communities in the state.

Beyond security measures, HURIWA called for urgent humanitarian assistance for residents whose homes and property were destroyed.

It urged the Plateau State Government and relevant federal agencies to provide temporary accommodation, food, medical care and other essential support to affected families.

The organisation also called for damaged communities to be secured so displaced residents can eventually return safely.

HURIWA urged President Tinubu to personally direct security and intelligence agencies to develop a coordinated strategy for protecting vulnerable communities in Plateau and other conflict-prone areas.

It also called on Governor Mutfwang to strengthen cooperation with traditional rulers, community leaders and security agencies to improve local intelligence and community protection.

“Plateau State cannot be allowed to become a theatre of perpetual bloodshed,” the group said, insisting that residents need protection, justice and accountability, rather than repeated expressions of sympathy.

HURIWA commiserated with the families of those reportedly killed and called for adequate medical treatment for those injured.