The Plateau State Police Command and the Berom youth community are at war over accusations of an attack on mourners during a mass burial of terror victims in Barkin Ladi, with the police dismissing the charges as “false” and the community insisting the incident took place.
The outrage originates from claims that gunmen attacked mourners gathered for the burial of seven victims slain in an earlier attack on Nding Sesut Community, Fan District of the council region.
Residents and eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to raid the burial site on Wednesday but were repulsed, and further attacks were later carried out on adjacent settlements.
The Plateau State Police Command responded quickly, issuing a press release on May 6, 2026, denying the allegation.
“It has come to the notice of the Plateau State Police Command that a misleading publication by a section of the media alleges that gunmen opened fire on innocent civilians during a mass burial in the state, resulting in the death of many people,” the statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, read.
The command said the claims were “grossly exaggerated, inaccurate, and do not reflect the true situation on the ground,” stressing that “at no time did the Plateau State Police Command record such an incident.”
It added that the burial “was conducted under strict security supervision,” with the divisional police officer and other security agencies present throughout the ceremony alongside the local government chairman, who “addressed the youth, urging them to toe the line of peace and allow security to do all within their powers to arrest the perpetrators of this violence.”
According to the police, “the event was carried out without any attack, as falsely reported.”
Commissioner of Police, CP Bassey Ewah, stated that additional personnel, including mobile policemen and operatives of Operation Enduring Peace, had been deployed “as part of proactive measures to sustain peace and forestall any potential threats within the area.”
The command admonished the public to “disregard the said publication, as it is misleading and capable of inciting unnecessary panic,” and advised media organizations “to uphold the ethics of journalism by verifying information from credible sources before dissemination, especially on sensitive security matters.”
However, the Berom Youth Moulders Association’s National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, published a statement on Thursday, May 7, 2026, countering the police viewpoint.
While recognizing “the presence and efforts of security personnel at the burial ceremony,” the organization stated it was vital “to state the facts clearly and accurately for the sake of public record, justice for the victims, and the affected communities.”
The BYM stated that the initial attack that resulted in the mass grave killed “seven, not five,” and that Nding Sesut, a border village between Fan and Ropp districts, “has remained vulnerable to repeated attacks over time.”
The group also claimed that “there was indeed an attempted attack during the mass burial ceremony at Nding Sesut.”
According to the statement, “Some officials of the association, led by the national president, were physically present at the burial, making this not merely an eyewitness account but a direct experience of those on the ground.”
It added that “the attackers attempted to invade the area during the burial proceedings but were successfully repelled through the combined efforts of security personnel present at the venue and local vigilante groups.”
Three vigilante members were injured during the confrontation and were transported to the hospital for treatment.
The BYM stated that after failing to penetrate the burial gathering, “the attackers moved to soft-target communities in Ropp District, specifically Zat and Bet communities.”
The assault, it alleged, “resulted in the killing of two persons in Zat Community and the burning of the residence of the community leader.”
The group stated that Zat Community is adjacent to Saint John Vianney Minor Seminary in Barkin Ladi, “a fact that can easily be verified by any interested member of the public.”
The youth group stressed that “these unfortunate incidents are realities experienced by the affected communities and should not be dismissed in a manner that may appear to undermine the pains, fears, and losses suffered by innocent citizens.”
It called for “proactive security measures, sustained surveillance, intelligence gathering, and prompt response mechanisms capable of preventing further attacks on vulnerable rural settlements,” adding that “public communication on security matters should reflect realities on the ground with accuracy, balance, and sensitivity.”
