Following the attack on Wereng-Camp and Kum villages in Riyom Local Government Area by armed bandits and terrorist gangs from Fass area, one of the notorious terrorist enclaves in and around the Jol Community, nine members of a single family were gruesomely murdered, while Mr. Pam Yohanna, 40, sustained life-threatening injuries and is currently battling for his life after the coordinated assault.The attack began at about 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, 11 July 2026, and lasted for over an hour into the early hours of Sunday, 12 July 2026.
Those killed in the attack have been identified as:
1. Mrs. Celina James, 38
2. Mr. Yohanna James, 21
3. Mrs Janet Yohanna, 18
4. Baby Jennifer Yohanna, 3 months
5. Miss Sele James, 18
6. Miss Melody James, 16
7. Reto James, 10
8. Endurance James, 8
9. Peace James, 3
This latest massacre is yet another painful reminder of the recurring attacks that continue to claim the lives of innocent civilians across Plateau State and other parts of North-Central Nigeria. Entire families have been wiped out, villages repeatedly invaded, homes destroyed, and thousands of residents displaced from their ancestral communities.
The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM), under the leadership of Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, expresses deep concern over the sustained pattern of violent attacks targeting predominantly Christian farming communities. The frequency of these attacks, the scale of civilian casualties, and the destruction of homes and livelihoods underscore the urgent need for stronger protection of vulnerable communities and meaningful accountability for those responsible.
We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable communities, dismantle terrorist hideouts, apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of these attacks, and ensure justice for victims and their families. We also urge the government to provide adequate humanitarian assistance and support for displaced persons whose lives have been devastated by the violence.
Furthermore, we call on the international community including the United Nations, the United States of America, the African Union, the European Union, ECOWAS, international human rights organizations, faith-based institutions, and diplomatic missions—to pay urgent attention to the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in North-Central Nigeria.
We appeal for independent monitoring and investigation of these recurring attacks, increased humanitarian assistance for affected communities, and sustained engagement with the Nigerian authorities to ensure the protection of civilians and accountability for those responsible.
The continued bloodshed in Plateau State must not be ignored. The lives of innocent men, women, and children deserve protection, justice, and lasting peace. The time for decisive action is now.
Signed:
Rwang Tengwong
National Publicity SecretaryBerom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM)
