three soldiers, were reported
injured in Riyom, Plateau, on
Wednesday when civilians
clashed with soldiers who had
gone to aid a search for
missing cows.
The incident led to the
blockage of the Jos-Abuja road
as protesting youths and
women took over the highway.
Capt. Salisu Mustapha, Media
Officer of the Special Task
Force (STF) maintaining the
peace in Plateau, who
confirmed the incident to
NAN, said three soldiers were
injured in the fracas after
women protested against the
search.
Mr Emanuel Danboyi, a leader
of the Riyom community and
former member of the Plateau
House of Assembly, also told
NAN that two youths allegedly
shot by STF during the clash
had been hospitalised.
Mustapha said STF received
intelligence report that cows
said to have been rustled were
sighted in the Farin-Lamba
area of Riyom and went in
search of the animals.
“But to our surprise, when we
approached the area for the
assignment, women and some
youths of the area attacked our
personnel, which led to the
injury of three soldiers.
“Some of the youths fired
gunshots into the crowd which
led to the casualties recorded,
he said
Mustapha described the
incident as “unfortunate’’ and
wondered why people should
seek to stop STF personnel
from carrying out “a very
routine exercise’’.
He claimed that there had
always been reports of cattle
rustling in the area.
Some eyewitnesses, who spoke
with NAN, alleged that the
STF personnel were resisted
because they allegedly
“stormed’’ the community with
an armoured tank in search of
the cows.
“It was when the women and
youths of the area resisted the
STF men that the road was
blocked,’’ the source, who
pleaded anonymity, said.
Also, Mr Timothy Dem, the
Majority Leader of Plateau
House of Assembly, who
confirmed the incident, faulted
STF for visiting the area
without notifying him or other
key stakeholders in Riyom.
“STF made a serious mistake
in taking that step without
notifying us. Perhaps such
incident would not have
happened.
“We are not happy with what
happened in our community
today, especially the casualties
recorded as a result of such a
grave mistake,’’ he said.
Dem expressed concern over
the continuous clash between
STF personnel and his people
and alleged that his people
were “always at the receiving
end’’.
Mustapha, however, faulted
Dem’s opinion that the STF
should have notified
stakeholders of the council
before embarking on the
search.
“Why should we notify
somebody we are accusing of
being in possession of some
missing property when we
want to conduct a search?
“When you do that, the search
will not yield any positive
result for us,’’ he said.
Mustapha said that his men
had dispersed the youths and
cleared the Abuja-Jos
highway, while law and order
had been restored.
“Law and order has returned to
the affected area and our men
are keeping vigil,’’ he said.
(NAN)’’lyJos – Five persons, including

...STF has the ability to search for rustled cows and yet cannt search and get they Fulani gun men who have been killing innocent people while sleeping!i guess their cows are better than they lives of Berom people killed!STF has justified the claims of Berom people of their involvance in this crisis!

these bloody beroms will continue to rustle Fulani cows and when Fulani invade them they will cry genocide

I am really surprised to know that JTF is also tasked with the responsibility to search and rescue cows and they seem to do so with zeal!
I can now understand why the fulanis kill with impunity in any place they go, seems they have strong backing from the military.

13volts: these bloody beroms will continue to rustle Fulani cows and when Fulani invade them they will cry genocide

why must the Fulanis rear their cattle in Jos or plateau can they take their cattle to Bauchi , kano and borno