PRESS STATEMENT

BYM DEMANDS ARREST OF GAFDAN MEDIA TEAM OVER ALLEGED TERROR PROPAGANDA

The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM), under the leadership of Barr. Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, is deeply alarmed by yet another calculated attempt to distort the truth surrounding the continuous terrorist attacks on indigenous communities in Plateau State, Nigeria.

A Facebook account operating under the name Gafdan Media Team falsely claimed that three herders were ambushed and killed by Berom people around the Jol axis of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

This narrative is not only false but is a dangerous propaganda campaign designed to conceal the atrocities committed by armed terrorists while criminalising victims who are defending their communities.

The facts are clear. On Sunday afternoon, Armed Fulani Terrorists from Mahanga – a community they had displaced the natives from and grabbed, invaded Jol community in Riyom LGA, launching an unprovoked attack on innocent residents. During the assault, Mr. Thomas Damang, 48, was murdered, while Ishaku Pam (22), Ezra Yakubu (28), and Shedrack Danladi (34) sustained gunshot injuries.

The attackers met resistance from local vigilantes working alongside security personnel.

In the ensuing confrontation, three terrorists were neutralised and five others sustained injuries, forcing the remaining attackers to retreat. Contrary to the false report by Gafdan Media Team, those killed were not innocent herders but members of the armed group that attacked the community.

This recurring pattern of misinformation raises grave concerns. Every time terrorists are confronted by security personnel or local defenders, certain platforms quickly circulate fabricated stories portraying the attackers as innocent herders while ignoring the innocent civilians killed in the attacks.

Such propaganda emboldens terrorists, undermines security operations, and frustrates efforts to achieve justice for victims.

BYM is convinced that the operators of the Gafdan Media Team Facebook account have repeatedly demonstrated knowledge and narratives that align with the interests of terrorist groups operating in Plateau State. This pattern warrants urgent investigation.

We therefore call on the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to immediately identify, investigate, and prosecute those behind this platform. Information warfare is an integral part of modern terrorism, and individuals who deliberately spread falsehood to shield violent criminals must be held accountable under the law.

We also call on the Federal Government, the National Human Rights Commission, civil society organisations, the international community, and global media to pay close attention to the coordinated campaign of disinformation surrounding the Plateau crisis. The manipulation of facts not only denies justice to victims but also enables the continuation of attacks against vulnerable communities.

The people of Plateau deserve protection, truth, and justice—not propaganda that rewards terrorism and silences victims. Lasting peace can only be achieved when both those who wield weapons and those who weaponise misinformation are held accountable.

Signed:
Rwang Tengwong
National Publicity Secretary
Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM)